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.

Happy Anniversary, How Time Flies!

The month of June, which is fleeting and nearly past us, marks the one-year anniversary of the collaboration between Marcus, Anne and myself as writer of the narrative text of Flight of the Mind. It has been a magical year of lovely conversation and exciting creative work. A passage from the chapter, "Timing" reads as a nice anthem for this occasion and the promise of things to come:

The art of timing is subtle. But we all know when we've been blessed by virtue of being at the right place at the right time, with the right person. Timing, maybe even ore than mere time, is also inter-relational and gives birth to moments that have the quality of eternity - moments that can last forever.  . . . "You start with small ideas. You sell calendars door to door and work your way up to writing a book," Anne's vision for the future is as vivid as one of Marcus' painting. "We want people to understand that against all odds, great achievements can be made.

It is also the anniversary of the book's signature image, emblem and prevailing metaphor: How Time Flies with its rowdy raven and the artist's eye gazing out from the stolen pocketwatch. One year ago this month, the first sketches took shape, emerging out of the blue depths of Marcus' imagination.

We've also been blogging about our thoughts, dreams and progress on the book for a full year now, and on the anniversary of a retrospective, it's good to look back. The blog is representative of some of our best work and conversations, and it served as a testing space for many sections of the book. From reflection on the nature of time, to the nature of art, from poetry, to philosophy, to the labor of love all good work requires, we've had the time of our lives on this adventure!

Truth in a Mask: Conclusion

Production of Flight of the Mind continues to soar and we will treat our readers to another excerpt later this week. In the meantime, exciting news has come from the Denver Hospice Mask Project. 

Every two years, the Denver Hospice solicits masks designed by celebrities, authors, artists, musicians and local personalities. Read about this year's fascinating array of masks here.  In the spring, the masks are auctioned off online and in Denver. All the money goes to the hospice to make compassionate care-taking accessible to families whose loved ones are nearing death. 

Marcus' mask, an interpretive rendition of the painting, How Time Flies, brought in a good amount to go towards helping make end-of-life care and comfort a reality for many people. So many of the masks were astonishing, and the whole endeavor shows a bright and hopeful face, a testament to what can happen when creative people come together for a cause. Visit the Mask Project site to see a showcase of these faces, all true and beautiful.

Read about Marcus' mask in our entry, The Mask Revealed. For curious minds, who want to see the process of creation, read our post, Beauty and Truth in a Mask.   

Stay tuned and subscribe to this blog for more (and more frequent as the completion nears) updates and excerpts of the book, Flight of the Mind: An Artist's Journey through Paralysis. 

The Cover . . . Uncovered

Drumroll, please. We are proud to present the beautifully designed cover of Flight of the Mind. You will probably recognize the cover from Marcus's magical interpretation, "How Time Flies." We think the raven soaring into the deep blue sky trailing a stolen pocket watch is the perfect emblem for this artist's life. But the watch is no ordinary timepiece. The face of the watch is the artist's eye, weeping the dear, well-used tools of a lifetime of creative work. A feather wafts above the fray, followed by piece of parchment, with the artist's wish, dream and intimate knowledge of time. "It's a message," says Marcus, "we can all put our minds around."

An entire chapter of the forthcoming book is devoted to the creation of this piece. It begins with a quote from Poe's seminal poem: "Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore." The following is an excerpt to tease out your own reflection on the rough and ready tumble of the time of our lives.


In his mind's eye, Marcus knew the colors he would use - black, blue and gold, colors he relishes. The elements appeared complete in his vision: the raven and a golden pocket watch. And the narrative thrust was clear: "The vision of the raven flying away with, or stealing, my pocket watch was a perfect representation of my deepest frustration with the flashing speed at which my life is moving." When asked why, of all birds, he chose the raven, Marcus's smile betrays his intimate knowledge of a bird that haunts heroes and poets alike. "The raven is reality - a worthy adversary who deserves all the respect we can muster."


We hate to rush time, of course, but are counting down the days to October, when the book will be launched. Check back soon for information on how you can pre-order the book, and sign up on Marcus and Anne's email list to get preferred customer pricing.

A new page every day

Bet you didn't know Marcus could levitate.

It's mid-Spring, when the whole world is under the spell of the May Queen. In the spirit of all things mercurial, it's time to tease our faithful readers with glimpses of the forthcoming book, aptly named: Flight of the Mind . . . We are cruising through the design of the book, captioning pictures, choosing pull-out quotes, dotting our i's and crossing our t's. The cover has been designed and we've secured some stellar endorsements. The book website is in the works, and the presses are warming up.

On this forum, we'll reveal a glimpse at a time. For today, an enticing quote, that describes Marcus's painting, the work of art that is this book, and you, dear reader:

“People are trying to engage,” says Marcus when asked about audience reaction to his work.  “You make quality paintings and love them yourself first. Each is an extension of me, not just a product.  That intimate connection radiates outward. People want something to engage with, so give it all you got, and if you love the work you create, then somebody’s going to catch on.  People catch on fast.” 

Catch us here, now.

New Moon Masks

Masthead for The Mask Project

Here we are again at the new moon, and the Denver Hospice Mast Project is in full swing. From now until mid-May you can bid online for over 400 masks created by artists, celebrities and local Denver, CO movers and shakers. All the proceeds from this bi-annual benefit go to Denver Hospice to aid their mission of providing end-of-life care that "encircles those facing advanced illness with unprecedented levels of comfort, compassion and expertise."

A visit to the auction site reveals an astonishing array of masks - from funny, to lovely, to seriously odd - a virtual catalogue of expressions, all valid responses to the human condition! You'll find masks by artists and well-known personalities, such as David Sedaris, Sarah McLachlan, Kevin Nealon, Paul Simon, The Manhattan Project, and the entire cast of The Office, just to name a few! Marcus created a mask to donate and we documented his process over the course of a moon cycle in the last several blogs. See his creation here.

Visit the site and tell us about your favorites. It's a perfect activity for the new moon as we all face the season ahead, fascinated and ready to be astonished.