JENNY-JOANNA BARTHOLOMEW-BIGGS
“ARTY JEN-JO”

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:

This film which is called “Emerging from the Raging Seas” gives you a summary of the highs and lows I have to face. The person David who is in the film has been my main carer as well as my husband for over 30 years. I have also got a daughter and a granddaughter even though I am physically disabled and use a powered wheelchair all the time which is controlled by my head. I am still able to move my body being out of my wheelchair with assistance. To get myself heard I use a communication Aid which is also a computer. I have got a little white dot which is on my glasses so that I can operate the mouse. It is a great equipment which helps me to take part in everyday activities which most people would otherwise take for granted. One of the many activities I am doing is writing a book about various experiences I have had during my childhood and early adulthood. I also express myself through creative writing. I used performances and film as another Outlet. Oh yes, I nearly forgot to mention that I like teaching myself new songs either on my physical keyboard with a head pointer, or by going on an online piano I play by ear and have been since I was very young.

[gentle piano music plays in the background throughout]

Emerging from the Raging Seas
All of my life I have been emerging from the Raging Seas
being mistreated, treated well

[Music]

being manipulated and restricted not only by my disability cerebral palsy,
but by life, people, situations that have been out of my control.

[Music]

Yet, during those raging waves of my early years until now,
God, others, and my stubbornness and determination in the willingness to succeed,
have been my foundations to live an independent life as much as possible.

[Music]

Despite being a woman, a wheelchair user, I was able to get married,
make a family of my own, although the fight in my head still goes on.

[Music]

hidden deep down inside, dying to emerge from the depths of my soul,
now I am in the middle of my life, doing what I can to survive this crazy world.

[Music]

As an independent woman of an able-bodied mind who has been cared for
and always will be; also a wife a mother and now a grandmother.

[Music]

My name is Arty Jen-Jo, I live in West Wales in the UK. I have been with Disability Arts Cymru (DAC) for over ten year but probably closer to fifteen years now. I started by doing paintings with using a head pointer but when COVID-19 struck in 2020, I moved onto photographs because I had nobody to help me to paint. That was our first DAC Arts prize. Then I decided to try out doing a video which lead me to winning the 2022 DAC arts Prize award. The work is a short film called “Emerging From The Raging Seas.” It tells you about about the experiences I have had throughout my life. The film was on my back lawn in early spring of 2021 and I wrote the script for it earlier this year. I had help in putting it all together in March By a DAC employee in March this year. It's 5:12 minutes long. I am really honoured and delighted that my first video has got to America so thank you very much for this opportunity. From Arty Jen-Jo.