Beauty Rises: Four Lives in the Arts (2006)

Commissioned to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Illinois Arts Council, this poignant and inspiring film interweaves the stories of four Illinois artists as they meet self-imposed artistic challenges and struggle with life challenges. From leading a teen theater ensemble to writing and conducting a symphonic jazz score to finding the perfect studio space to writing a poem, the artistic process is shown to be at one with the process of living in the larger community.