Giving Thanks

Today I see lots of posts on social media about Thanksgiving and thought I’d add my own two cents, for what it’s worth.

Gratitude – I believe it’s not something to celebrate just that ONE day. I meditate every day and add gratitude to my daily thinking. It has helped me in so many ways, it’s hard to explain. I believe it has eased my anxiety and insecurities and helps me maintain perspective and even a dose of happiness. Yes, there are days that I wish, I could..wish, I had, wish there was more of this, less of that. THAT’s when I remind myself of what I have, what I am and what I’ve accomplished as well. Of course there’s always room for improvement, but you have to balance that inner dialogue with those reminders.

A year ago, during Thanksgiving dinner with friends, I was an anxiety-ridden wreck. I had been plagued with daily heart palpitations and SVT attacks that resulted in ER visits. I had made my decision by then to go ahead with the cardiac ablation procedure and was nervous about THAT on top of it.

Today I look back in literal ‘heartfelt‘ gratitude. I’m grateful for the docs, nurses, surgeons that helped ‘fix’ me, the medical science and technology that made it possible for me to heal, and friends and family who were there for me throughout that difficult time. I’m grateful for finally having had the confidence to get back on a transatlantic flight and see my overseas family again. I’m grateful to have the confidence to get back to the things I love without the constant worry and fear of my heart acting up. I’m grateful to have been given the opportunity to continue my main passions: acting, film and visual art.

This is just a glimpse of my gratitude. There are too many things to list and I won’t bore you with the details, but my point is: There is something to be grateful every day, even if it’s “just” waking up to a new day!

 

Anyhoo, lots of cool stuff has happened since my last blog and I promise to update on here soon. But for now, I got a big old food shindig to get ready for!

Have a great Thanksgiving and make it a great day!

Her Dark Half at SDCC 2017 Art Show

I’m doing it again! Last year was such a success that I decided to continue with my ‘Warrior’ series of original paintings and again dedicate it to Anxiety and Depression Awareness!

The Art Show at San Diego Comic Con 2017 has moved to a new location, which means, this year you don’t even need a badge to get into the Art Show!!!

How did this all come about?

Last year, I found out about a non-profit organization called “To Write Love On Her Arms” aka TWLOHA, thanks to the wonderful #AKF (or #AlwaysKeepFighting) campaign started by “Supernatural” star Jared Padalecki. The TWLOHA website states: “To Write Love on Her Arms is a movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire, and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.”

So, I decided to donate 10% of each original painting’s final bid/sale at the SDCC Art Show’s silent auction to TWLOHA. :)

Why? Because I’ve lost family and friends to suicide and I have personally experienced the devastating effects anxiety and depression can have on you. This is my way of reaching out and paying it forward. If there’s any way I can help and contribute, even just a little, then why not through my art?

I created a Facebook Event Page with all the dates/times and new location to make it easier for everybody to attend and share. Go wild, bid on my paintings, GO BIG, buy the original art and help fight anxiety & depression at the same time! Great Karma awaits! :)

 

Also: There will be a catered Opening Night Mixer on Thursday from 7pm – 9pm to welcome the public! Hope to see you there!

LOCATION:
This year the art show will be located in the Manchester Grand Hyatt, Grand Hall C & D (on the first floor, right behind the hotel registration desk, where the Blood Drive was last year).

SHOW HOURS*
Thursday: 11am – 9pm
Friday: 11am – 9pm
Saturday: 11am – 9pm
Sunday: 12pm – 7pm
(*These are the official hours as of now, but there’s a possibility that they’ll try to open the show 2 hours early. I’ll update if/when that becomes official.)

NOTE AGAIN: This year you do NOT need a Comic Con badge to attend the art show.

If you’re not interested in buying a painting and would like to simply donate directly to TWLOHA, please click on the link here.

Ok, I think I covered it all …

Have a great day, hug somebody, hope to see you at San Diego Comic-Con, and feel free to share this post with your fellow Con-goers!

xoxo,

Pia Thrasher (aka Her Dark Half)

 

 

 

Art for Healing

The Art Show at San Diego Comic Con 2016 is right around the corner and this will be my 5th year displaying my creations under the Sails Pavilion. In the past, I’ve always brought my lighter paintings, the more ‘cartoony’ and cheerful art, instead of my dark pieces. This time the style will still be on the whimsical side, but with a serious undertone. I’m dedicating this year’s series, titled ‘Warriors‘, to Anxiety and Depression Awareness.

“Scrapper” – watercolor/ink, Pia Thrasher 2016

 

Recently, I found out about a non-profit organization called “To Write Love On Her Arms” aka TWLOHA, thanks to the wonderful #AKF (or #AlwaysKeepFighting) campaign started by “Supernatural” star Jared Padalecki. The TWLOHA website states: “To Write Love on Her Arms is a movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire, and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.”

So, I decided to donate 10% of each original painting’s final bid/sale at the SDCC Art Show’s silent auction to TWLOHA. :)

Why? Because I’ve lost family and friends to suicide and I have personally experienced the devastating effects anxiety and depression can have on you. This is my way of reaching out and paying it forward. If there’s any way I can help and contribute, even just a little, then why not through my art?

Another sneak peek..

For those who can’t attend the Art Show, I will have prints of all the original paintings available to purchase through Deviant Art, sometime after SDCC 2016. If you can make it to the Art Show, bid on my paintings, GO BIG, buy the original art and help fight anxiety & depression at the same time!

Fighters, all of them!

If you’re not interested in buying a painting; or you’re not able to (getting those SDCC badges is a whole other story) and would like to simply donate directly to TWLOHA, please click on the link here.  Incidentally, TWLOHA is also currently raising funds for people affected by the horrible shooting in Florida with their  Hope and Help for Orlando campaign.

Ok, I think I covered it all …

 

Have a great day, hug somebody, hope to see you at San Diego Comic-Con, and feel free to share this post with your fellow Con-goers!

•    •    •

Update 9/12/2016: Thank you all for sharing the love and thank you for stopping by the Art Show and especially THANK YOU for buying my art! As promised, I made the 10% donation to TWLOHA! #AlwaysKeepFighting!

Love and big hugs,

Pia

Update 11/17/2016: You can still buy original paintings from the ‘Warrior‘ series from my Etsy store! Same pledge as above (10% going to TWLOHA) applies! Click here to view/buy! Thank you!