Stuttering Does Not Stop Him – Finding a Voice Through Art
Join us at Dare to Overcome to hear Tom & Gayle Holdman share their passion for faith, love and unity.
The anxiety and struggle of having a life-long stuttering problem can seem insurmountable. Not having the ability to speak fluently affects so many aspects of your life. It’s like words randomly get caught in your throat. Your mouth seizes and doesn’t respond as you’d like. You lean your head back, close your eyes and muster all your effort to finally form a word.
For Tom Holdman, stuttering will always be part of his story. But through many obstacles and hard work, it hasn’t stopped him from finding his voice. Even though he was plagued with anxiety as a child and had to endure jabs from peers in his youth, this weakness led him to his art. Today Tom’s work in impeccable stained-glass windows has attracted international attention and admiration.
Tom has always had a slow tongue and he needed to find ways to speak with others. He discovered that through art he could express himself. This proved to be a powerful tool for a man who was desperate to express himself. Ultimately, his true release was found through his art. He emerged passionate, triumphant and fulfilled.
For years, Tom and his team of artists at Holdman Studios have created stained-glass windows for government offices, libraries, hospitals, churches, temples, and airports.
At Dare to Overcome, participants will be the first to be able to view Tom’s latest masterpiece, The Pillars of Humanity.
These seven stained glass panels illustrate seven key, noble characteristics that humans are capable of: Knowledge, Creativity, Faith, Love, Unity, Freedom, and Courage. Examples from across the world are included in each scene. This artwork will travel to locations around the globe to inspire and unify individuals everywhere.
This is a project of the Roots of Humanity Foundation, which works through art and education to foster esteem, connection, and creativity within individuals while unifying and inspiring communities. Humanity’s history is replete with examples of individuals, whether well known or lesser known, who understood their duty to pass on a legacy of excellence. The sacrifice of our progenitors was life, limb, freedom and leisure lost so that we, their decedents, could have opportunity. Our inheritance of life binds us to this same duty, and we have the responsibility to pass on to our children the stories, the strengths, and the roots of our humanity.
Meet Gayle & Tom
Gayle is author of the children’s book, The Piece That is You. Meet the artists and see the art at Dare to Overcome!
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