Paralyzed artist helps students create mosaic of Blessed Damien

By Anna Weaver
Catholic News Service

HONOLULU (CNS) -- On a bright Wednesday morning, a classroom at Holy Trinity School in east Honolulu is crowded with students sitting around tables and painting small, thick paper squares with watercolors. Written on the whiteboard are their instructions: "Wet on wet. Base color: ultramarine blue. Drop-in color: green-blue."

The students, sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders, talk about school activities, what they'll do after the half-day of school gets out, and who has painted more squares so far.

But they also talk about the new friend they're painting those squares for -- well-known local artist Peggy Chun, who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease -- and what all those little pieces will eventually become -- a mosaic of Blessed Damien de Veuster.

The experience has made the students philosophical and reflective. Eighth-grader Joshua Aiu is amazed by Chun's unwavering determination despite the fact that the disease has progressed to the point where she is completely paralyzed except for her eyes.

"The Bible says that the church is the body of the Christ and that in it we work together," Joshua said. "And so when one part can't go on, or has a hard time, it's dependent on the rest of the body to help."

Seventh-grader Cary Chang says it's an honor to help Chun, whom he adores. "Even though Peggy can't move at all, her heart moves around people," he said. "Her love is all around touching people's hearts."

Every week since the start of the school year, Joshua, Cary and other Holy Trinity students have been acting as Peggy's hands, watercoloring mosaic pieces according to the artist's instructions.

In working with the students, Chun, a former St. Francis School drama and literature teacher known for her whimsical paintings and vibrant island artwork, and now her valiant battle with ALS, is passing along not only artistic skills but her spirit to a new generation.

The way Chun communicates is with an Eye Response Interface Computer Aid that matches her eye movement with lasers. She looks at letters on the screen to spell out words, which the computer then "speaks."

However, on a recent day at her home, the computer wasn't working because Chun's eyes were too dry. That day Chun used her eyes to point to different letters and numbers on a "spell board" held by Holy Trinity teacher Shelly Mecum. Another volunteer wrote down each letter Mecum called out.

Chun has a large crew of dedicated volunteers playfully called "Peg's Legs."

With the late afternoon sunlight slanting through her bedroom window and onto her hospital-style bed, Chun "spoke" about how the collaboration with Holy Trinity School started.

She said she first thought of doing an artwork of Blessed Damien while working on a portrait of Blessed Marianne Cope for St. Francis Medical Center in 2002. But her disease soon became too advanced to undertake such a project.

The idea was revived when Mecum was asked to collaborate with Chun on a children's picture book about Peggy's life. After the book was finished this past year, Mecum began teaching at Holy Trinity.

Chun and Mecum realized that by using a mosaic technique and students as the painters, the long-desired Damien project could be accomplished. Each week Chun, who has the completed image in her mind, gives Mecum a new color "formula" the students will use that week. Chun provides the paintbrushes, paper and paints.

"I find that the fact that this painting is being created by a community is remarkable," Chun said. She also loves working with the students. "Their enthusiasm spills onto the little, tiny squares," she said. She sees each square as "a miniature abstract painting using (the students') newfound knowledge about color and its complements."

However, for Chun, the most important thing about the project isn't the mosaic itself but the experience the students take from it, and imparting the same creative spirit she received from her own teachers.

"I keep thinking how knowing that they had a part in creating this painting, how this will stay with (the students) forever," she said. "Just think how much fun these children are having learning without realizing where this will take them."