Why Marcus' Life Is Really Big News

Opening shot from Dellinger's story.

Derek Dellinger met Marcus and Anne about three years ago in Florida. He immediately saw the makings of a great story, heroic and inspiring enough to be broadcast and shared with people everywhere. At the time he worked for a news station in Florida, so he pitched the story of the Thomas' creative odyssey. But the station turned the story down. The housing market was crashing, the economy had tanked, unemployment was rampant, and there didn't seem to be much time and space for a story about a man and a woman who defied tremendous odds and accomplished herculean tasks to make art.

We all know that most of the news of our time and place is bad. Horrific, in fact. Right before I began to write this, I read the latest headlines. I had to look away in sick despair, and it's a good thing I did, because in that instant, I caught sight of a goldfinch lighting on the birch tree outside my window. The news is bad, but we don't have to confine ourselves to that reality; bad news is not the whole story. Marcus and Anne know this truth. Marcus' life flies in the face of bad news and as such, becomes really big news.

Mr. Dellinger knows this truth too.

Painting a frigate bird - a still from the story.

When the Florida station turned down his story, he didn't give up. When he moved to Greenville, South Carolina and began work as a correspondent at FOX Carolina, he looked up Marcus and Anne with the idea of pitching the story again. This time, the story took hold, came before the right eyes and hearts, and it aired last week.

We want to thank Derek Dellinger for knowing a good story when he meets it and for telling this story in such a fine, intelligent and sensitive way. Here it is for all to see and share (click the link below). Tell your friends; there is good news.

Paralyzed painter inspires others with art, success - FOX Carolina 21

Flight of the Mind: The Multimedia Experience

Bob and Marcus in the recording studio.

Happy Independence Day to all. I am realizing this holiday was more fun when I was a child, a little more innocent and a lot more impressionable. These days, the fireworks I like best are of the mental, spiritual and creative sort.

Here in our camp, independence and freedom are treasures never to be taken lightly! Because of Marcus and Anne's determination to live independently after the accident, they embraced the creativity of the artist's life and have some metaphorical fireworks of their own to show for it. Marcus' personal quest for freedom led him straight to the realm of imagination realized in color and paint. And that's certainly something to celebrate.

Leslee reading the text.

We also have some fireworks up our sleeves (sounds dangerous!) of the multimedia variety, and this experience is sure to elicit 'oohs' and 'aahs.' As part of the offerings that come with the book, Flight of the Mind: A Painter's Journey through Paralysis, we've been working on a Flight of the Mind DVD, full of additional material and exclusive interviews with the artist, and an audio-book recording of the narrative text. Both of these broaden our reach and make a full experience of the work available to all.

We've recently completed the audiobook, recorded at ProComm studios in Fletcher, NC, by Bob Peck. Bob is also the mastermind behind the DVD portion of the project, and you can read about some of our early shoots here. Founder of Asheville Multimedia, Bob does good work bringing ideas to life with all the audiovisual arts at his disposal. Today's excerpt is courtesy of Bob and Asheville Multimedia, the first bit (a little teaser!) of the book, read by me, the author.