Concerned Citizen

Artists' Statement:

Shelly first met Brennan in the summer of 2014. It was easy to see that she had a specific light about her, although it was hard to place. They moved in together recently, and she has been able to place that light. She found, through the small gifts left at her and her roommates’ doors every so often, and through the uplifting texts Brennan sends after a particularly bad day, that she cares deeply for the people around her, and she does her best to help others in any minuscule way.

What was also interesting about these small gifts or kindnesses given to Shelly or to others was that she handcrafted them herself. A natural artist, she seeks to make every creation come from her heart. It’s in this way she values genuineness and shows true, deep-rooted care not just for the people she loves, but for all humankind. During our interview she recounted an experience she had where she found a complete stranger had been raped. This event impacted her greatly emotionally and ignited a desire to help spread awareness and take action against such things through her art.

When going through our footage and selecting the pieces we wanted to include in the final film, it was easy to see a narrative develop that may have otherwise been jumbled or unclear if not carefully handled. Thanks to her trust, Brennan allowed us to take her story, and these thoughts about how she wants to help our community, and pull them together into an inspiring message - that it’s the little things that count, and we never know how big of an impact we can have. The discussions that we had in class focused in large part on the impact of the individual on their surroundings and environment, which helped prepare us for this assignment. Though our subject hadn’t done some drastic thing, such as donate a large sum of money, or build a shelter for someone, she had an experience that spurned an epiphany which will guide her to making a difference in her own way.

As art is something that comes naturally to her, it is only natural that she use that gift from God, and not some unrelated means, to lift where she stands, and help others in small or large ways whenever the opportunity arises. The fact that she is just a woman you could see going down the street and not recognize as some kind of incredible idol doesn’t stop her from walking the path of a hero. These small contributions by average people like you and me are the contributions that will work together to make the biggest difference.