Candle Lighting (2004) Painting by Adelle Jean

I was born and raised in the Seattle Area, and now reside and paint in a small town called Ferndale, near Bellingham Washington. I have suffered from arthritis and other health ailments, including schizophrenia, since my teen but still worked as a nurse's aide or cannery worker a lot of my life. Then in August 2003 I fell and broke my back and could no longer work. In September I was in the hospital and my brother died. I was overcome by grief and knew I needed to do something with my hands. The hospital had paints but no canvas or good surface to paint on. I asked a friend to bring me some little wooden plaques (5 by 7 inches) to paint on. I had never been much of a painter. But it was Rosh Hashanah and I painted a couple pieces for Rosh Hashanah and my friends loved them. When I went home I was in love with painting and I bought a bunch of paints and different types of canvas and became immediately a prolific painter--since I was disabled and couldn't work otherwise. By August the next year I was a much better painter, but could no longer live alone. So I now live in and paint at an Adult Family Home. I have had a couple of successful shows and my art is well received on the internet. I have had several commissions as well, amd my art has sold to places like The Hillel Center at Western Washington University and The Jewish Family Center in Tallehassee Florida.

• Nationality: UNITED STATES
• Date of birth : 1964
• Artistic domains:
• Groups: Contemporary American Artists