Michael Germann (MIK-A-LOW)
Born November 25 1959 in Edmonton Alberta.
Worked in the oilfield as a sandblaster /painter up to the age of 32 when was diagnosed with a brain injury and forced to do a life style change. Took up photography to fill the time that I had on my hands after not being able to return to a full time job. Then developed an interest in the arts and continue to develop my skills of being and artist.
I am a self taught artist with no formal training. While doing my arts I ran across many others with brain injury, that were also doing art works. I decided to try to form a group in 2002 to assist those with brain injury to get exposure to there works of art. Started the group called Alberta Artist with Brain injury and it has official become a Society in Sept of 2003. The group has had several showings so far some as Public Awareness to the plight of those with brain injury and some to help motivate those that are in hospitals still recovering from brain injury.
It is my desire to continue with the arts and to help those that I can with brain injury to find a meaningful existence in society with their art works.
My acquired brain injury was the type of injury not easily identified or for that injury, one does not even know they have, until they get to the point where I had almost had no concentration and had great difficulty in remembering things along with personality changes.
I finally saw a nuero at the Glenrose Hospital in Edmonton, Canada. That is how we confirmed it was a brain injury and not just an illness.
The injury was directly related to work. But have no date to show for the accident because it was a slow build up of toxins over the years. I worked for 16 years at jobs that had chemicals as I was a sandblaster internal coater. My body over time began to react to the solvents and epoxies I worked with and had build up to become toxic levels. I had no idea what was happening, I just began to think I was going insane or some thing. It became apparent that when I was not breathing in the chemicals from the jobsites, my personality changes did not occur and the symptoms were not as overwhelming.
I had to do a life style change when I discovered that I could no longer work at a full time job. This was due to sustaining personality changes and depression from being exposed to toxic chemical over a seventeen year period.
When my depression began to get worse, I found myself not wanting to be around people and withdrawing more and more into myself. I sought out different types of medical help only to discover there was not much help out there and that medications would only do 15% of the work (I would have to do the other 85% on my own with help from support groups).
My disability was classified as a Brain Injury and caused me to make some drastic changes in my life. I turned to doing art work as a way to safely express myself during a time of great disturbance in my life. I discovered that this was not only a great therapy for my self, but was also something that I greatly enjoyed doing and sharing with other people. I purchased an old camera and used it as an excuse to get out of the house and into the community. It worked for me! Some days I would just take the camera and go for walks in the river valley and not take a single shot. As time went on, I met others who were also into photography/artwork and we encouraged each other to keep up the photography and artworks. My passion for artworks and photography has since flourished.
I have been doing photography and art work for the past ten years. I have some
work hanging at a local restaurant here in Edmonton. Have had Showings at the
City Hall, Harcourt House Gallery, MayField Inn, The Bus Barns In Old Strathcona,
The Edmonton and Red Deer Public Libraries, and other locations through out
Alberta. I belong to ALBERTA ARTISTS with BRAIN INJURY SOCIETY, OUT of THE
SHADOWS and ARTS CRAFTS & WELLNESS ADVANCEMENT ASSOCIATION (ACWAA) in Edmonton,
Alberta, Canada This is a real inspiration to me.
My works can be seen on permanent display at
ACWAA s headquarters at the
GALLERIA OF CRAFTERS & ARTISANS
#1082 Capilano Shopping Centre, Edmonton, AB T6A 1A0
My works can be seen on permanent display at
ACWAA's headquarters at the
GALLERIA OF CRAFTERS & ARTISANS
#1082 Capilano Shopping Centre, Edmonton, AB T6A 1A0
Michael Germann