Merced artist to show in San Francisco

A harrowing journey of learning to walk and talk again after a life-threatening illness is the inspiration for an exhibit this month from a Merced artist.

Twenty mixed media pieces from Andrea Morris are the focus of “Journey of Art,” which is set to be unveiled at 2 p.m. Saturday at the University of California, San Francisco’s Faculty Alumni House gallery, 745 Parnassus Ave.

Morris, 63, has shown her work at the Merced County Courthouse Museum, where she also was the director for nearly a decade. Her tenure as the director ended in 1999 after she was diagnosed with encephalitis, which left her right side paralyzed and damaged her ability to talk.

“The 20 pieces show the story of illness, but also how you get better,” she said. “It’s beautiful that damage, illness, et cetera, can get better.”

Encephalitis is a swelling of the brain. The earliest symptoms are flu-like, according to the Mayo Clinic, but can become much worst if left untreated.

It was shortly after Thanksgiving in 1999, Morris said, when she noticed she wasn’t feeling well. Her mother came by her house one morning to pick her up only to find her on the floor in the midst of a seizure.

It took about 18 months to retrain her body to move and her mind to find words. She said she would have ideas in her head but could not find the words to express herself.

She remembers seeing a doctor shortly after losing the ability to speak, and then again after she had improved. “She took ahold of my hand and said, ‘You’ve come back.’ ”

But, all along the way, she kept making her art. She painted using her left hand until she could use her right hand again. “I think it helped this brain,” she said, pointing to her head. “I think it was the reason I was doing it. I didn’t think about shows or anything.”

Her mixed media pieces, which pull together photos, lyrics from hymns, poetry and other writings, tell the story of how she climbed back from the feelings of despair to again having hope.

The final piece features lyrics from “Over the Rainbow,” which the Kansas native wants to be played at her funeral someday.

Louis Gutierrez, who manages the San Francisco gallery, said the exhibit is a fitting one as the UC campus is dedicated to advancing health care.

Henrietta Sparkman, who described herself as “60-ish,” of Modesto, has known Morris since the 1970s. She described the artist as not only talented but caring and a “delight to be around.”

She said she remembers seeing Morris “at death’s door” while unresponsive in a hospital bed.

Sparkman helped get the exhibit to campus decision-makers. “I think it’s a wonderful exhibit,” she said. “I think it puts the viewer in the place to understand dealing with that isolating disease.”

Morris said displaying her work feels like the culmination of that chapter of her life. “I’m just thrilled,” she said. “It just hits me that they saw it and said it has to be shown.”

Morris also has two master of arts degrees and taught at Merced College.

The San Francisco gallery is open by appointment and the exhibit is set to be up through March 15. For more, call 415-476-4723.

Morris’ art can also be seen at her website, www.JourneyOfArt.com.

This story was originally published January 13, 2016 at 6:34 PM with the headline "Merced artist to show in San Francisco."