My name
is Naje’ (Nah-Jay)
Welcome to My World
For years, art has been
a therapeutic “tool” for me.
Right after I graduated from El Centro College
 in
Dallas Texas, with an Associates Arts &
Science Degree, depression struck fast and
hard. For months I lingered in a deep pit
of unadulterated despair… I believe
art saved me, along with therapy. My therapist
diagnosed my symptoms as manic depression.
Along with medication and therapy sessions,
he suggested that I find something to focus
on that would make me happy or at least
help me forget I was unhappy. I remembered
that when I was in college, my happiest
hours were those spent drawing, learning
about art theory and design, in addition
to photography. Artistic pursuits filled
my hours instead of despair. My first piece,
Blue Mania 1, still hangs in my living room
to remind me of where I never wanted to
return again...
And yet, I did return.
This time I went to the edge of nowhere
and rested in the arms of despair as I waited
to heal. An on-the-job injury disabled not
only my body but my mind and spirit as well.
“Depression” closed in like
an anticipated dark storm. Hovering over
my mind mercilessly. I cried until my eyes
ran dry. One morning, after a dry crying
jag, I remember wondering, “what now?”
In that moment, I decided to paint again!
I hadn’t picked up
my paintbrushes in years. I was totally
surprised by the lift as my spirit soared…
I can’t begin to describe my emotions
as I created. I felt as if I was on the
outside looking in as my first painting
leaped onto the canvas… Depression’s
voice lingered, but slowly disappeared.
In her stead, a new voice emerged, a new
purpose filled energy--the birth of a new
spirit!
I do not look at anything
while I’m creating…I draw upon
spirit, that is, I “feel” my
images as they take shape…I am often
lost in the creation, itself…I love
mountains, rocks, trees, flowers, water,
grass, earth…Period! Early dawns and
sunrises and nights lit by the full moon,
are my favorite times. That’s what
I feel when I paint…anything else
that comes to me outside of nature, is icing
on the cake of creativity…
Finally, awakened from
the sleep of despair and fear and confusion
of life—period—I Am free in
the flow of the now…answering the
call to paint willingly… Now I am
fully aware of thought-pictures dancing
in my mind—pictures From My Mind’s
Eye View as with Moonlight
Glow, my first picture.
First came the sky, a night
sky, filled with blue colors—representing
hope. Then came the trees—representing
power, and bushes representing
growth and water representing
flow. The moon waited her
turn. Her glow, bright and magical, touched
the meadow with her whiteness, her energy,
lit up the meadow’s night…
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