Tracy Bettencourt, Blind Artist, Featured on March 15 during Wednesday Family Fellowship

Tracy Bettencourt, a blind artist and Clarksville local, will tell her inspiring story and display her work in our Fellowship Hall during Wednesday Family Fellowship on March 15! Join us for dinner at 5:15 and program at 5:45 in Fellowship Hall. Music, games, and nursery care for children is available.

Dinner this week: meatballs, baked potatoes, salad, bread, dessert

Biography
Tracy Bettencourt, owner/artist of Bettencourt Originals, advocate for persons with disabilities,  former fitness competitor, motivational speaker and APSU alumni, began to lose her eyesight in her early 30s from an eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa. Although the disease has left her blind, the hardships she experienced have not prevented her from living her life to the best of her abilities. She brings new insight to how art is viewed. 

Artist statement
I am blind. I lost my eyesight over 16 years ago and within the past 9 years began painting using my hands. My life is very structured and I use assistive technology on my IPhone and IPad to identify colors. The paints I use are textured acrylic and forms of puffy paint. My hands are my eyes and the puffy paint allows me to convey my thoughts and feelings onto canvas using tactile lines. Every day I wake and live in darkness yet with my newfound skill of painting, I am able to share my unique perception of the world around me as well as conveying the unseen beauty of life. My paintings reflect hope, adversity, love, positivity, strength and determination. I put my heart, soul and insight into every piece of artwork. Each piece of artwork is a Bettencourt Original. There will always be a mountain to climb yet I strongly feel that no matter what the obstacle, there is light within darkness and therefore there is hope.