Benjamin Sloetjes is a 26 year old brain injury survivor. He is also an accomplished artist. His work is featured in many hospital waiting rooms, on hospital walls and hospital patient lounges across Ontario. These include hospitals such as Hamilton General and St. Michael’s Hospital. Ben presented each of the 56 Canadian Paralympians participating in the 2010 Vancouver Paralympic Games with a painting.
Ben's Trip to Vancouver/Paralympic Painting
Ben has entered into the Scotties Tissue Design Box Challenge. Voting is open until January 16, 2011. The voting process is easy, you just have to click here and once you have arrived at the Scotties website, you select the first design on the far left and click vote. You can vote for Ben on a daily basis.
If you are able to, donate your Facebook status to Ben. Or, post a link to the Scotties website on Facebook or Twitter and advertise for Ben. He and his mother, Anita would appreciate it. The link is http://www.scotties.ca/english/promotions_sdc.php#.
Each vote that Ben receives will bring him closer to winning a $10,000 Room Renovation. He will also see his design produced and in stores across Canada.
We hope to see worldwide support for Ben! Ben’s design has been chosen out of 25,000 designs. His design is 1 of 10 designs chosen for the semi-final round. On February 7, 2011, the semi-finalist submissions will be reviewed by the Scotties Judging Panel based on the criteria of uniqueness, fit with the Scotties brand and voting results.
Ben's Design
Ben is a survivor whose story emphasizes achievement. He became a new and different Ben to his family.
Ben was a fun-loving 18 year old, a budding musician, athlete with a zest for life. On September 19, 2002, he was working on his car on his driveway when the car fell on top of him, crushing him under its weight. He was trapped under the car, his brain oxygen starved for 20 minutes. He was forced to begin life anew as an acquired brain injury survivor. He did not return home to his family until April 2003.
He endured a long course of intensive therapies that lasted for years.
Interestingly enough, Ben had never shown much interest, or an aptitude in art, but he was given the opportunity to continue his therapy though painting.
“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.”
- Henry Ward Beecher
Art become his therapy. And it still is. Ben’s art, painting, gives him a great sense of purpose in his life. His paintings are thoughtful, soulful, deep and he is truly talented.
Thank you Ben for sharing your gift with us. Thank you Anita for encouraging Ben’s special gift.
To read more about Ben or to view his paintings, visit www.bensloetjes.com.
“All art requires courage.”
- Anne Tucker
January 16, 2011 at 1:03 am |
Way to Go Ben,
An amazing younge man with an equally amazing, devoted, loving mom.
I’ll be voting daily.
The box is beautiful !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!