Griefs Highway by T. J. Meyers in New York

T. J. Meyers is a multi-talented, self-taught artist whose passion for creating has taken him on a journey of self-discovery and artistic growth. Born in the Bronx, raised in and around New York City, T. J. hails from what can be described as a broken home. He experienced much trauma as a child, losing his father at age 3 and his mother to cancer at 11. But that didn’t break him. He spent his teen years using lots of drugs to ease the hurt and fill the void. That got him kicked out of high school in the 11th grade. But that didn’t break him. He found salvation in Christ, cleaned up his act got his GED and joined the Marine Corps, where the only action he saw was in Southern California. He made in back to NYC just in time for the crack epidemic and battled with addiction for almost 2 years. But that didn’t break him. Then it happened. Not stardom. True love. T. J. met his soulmate. And his life was never the same. He married a beautiful woman of Puerto Rican descent, who added purpose to his life. They got married two days before 9-11. His life was changed forever. Then the world was changed forever. But that didn’t break him. Now, over 22 years and two granddaughters later, T. J. still has the creative bug. His acting career was nothing to write home about, aside from two small parts on Law and Order SUV. His stand- up comedy career had mild success, just not to the point where he could quit his day job. But that didn’t break him. He began experimenting with different forms of creative expression, including writing and photography. And then after seeing some artists putting out amazing pieces on instagram he was intrigued and though he never tried it, was always fascinated by painting. So, he tried it. What he discovered was that he had a lot inside that he needed to get out onto canvas. He found that all his experiences throughout his life were feeding his desire to paint. And so, he paints. His unique style and attention to detail haven’t earned him any awards, yet. His pieces have not been curated by MOMA, yet. But through his art T. J. continues to inspire and uplift those around him, proving that creativity and compassion can go hand in hand. And that what doesn’t break you, makes you.