More About Mona
Mona’s creative life started in high school graphics. Since then she has acquired a strong foundation of professional training from Vancouver Vocational College, Emily Carr College of Art & Design and Capilano College.
She was at the helm of Mo’s Art Designs and Services in the 1990’s & 2000’s, an entrepreneurial umbrella for several art-based endeavours: greeting cards, prints, paintings, commercial window painting, children’s art classes and neighbourhood house programs.
There has always been a thread of spirituality running through her work, with the intention to highlight God in the many ways He is expressed in everyday events and people.
She was always written – greeting cards with text, letters, essays and short stories. Many of the incidents and events took place in the 1990’s and 2000’s, and as her writing evolved they were constantly being revised. She never considered writing seriously until 2007 but since has self-published three books weaving many of her short stories and essays into fictional plot lines.
Her books are specifically about the learning to live with compromised health guided by a strong spiritual sense. Her hope is that her words and artwork will inspire others to explore their own spirituality to aid in their own walk.
Inspired by Mona’s life experience of living with MS, Faith from Stone helps us see how full a life can be in all circumstances. Roz’s life force within – the mystery of faith – propels her; her willingness to surrender to what is and stay in the present constantly renews her. Humour helps too! Life spirals upward. Enthusiasm in seeing new possibilities and engaging others in the process is remarkable.
Faith from Stone “I really enjoyed Mona’s first book, Hope from Stone and was grateful she carried on with this story. Not only did it tie up some loose ends but added interesting and innovative ideas. From fiction comes reality. I hope this is one of the concepts that can be realized in the near future. Being a person who also lives with multiple sclerosis, I know the need for independent and care housing for younger folks.”
Every time I meet with Mona, listen to her story, her journey, her struggle, it seems that my heart reawakens to look at a Mystery, the same Mystery that creates the life of our every day and gives meaning to our existence. Mona is one of those women who has met this Mystery through the circumstances of her life and is able to communicate it in all its beauty and goodness.
‘Faith from Stone’ is an engaging story with a bigger picture perspective. As the protagonist goes through the challenges of living with MS, her life becomes richer, fuller and more joyful, not in spite of her health issues, but because of them. She comes to understand more that no matter what our life circumstances, we matter. “We all matter,” she says, “once we know that deep down, we can start to make the world a better place.”
When life strips us of anything, be it ability, freedom of movement, independence or treasured possessions, there are grieving questions. Who are we going to be? What will our purpose in life be? What is it that really defines who we are? Mona has hit these walls and faced down these questions time and again but each time she reaches for the only one she knows who will not only get her through the desert but will give her more than she had before - more than she hoped for. She walks and writes in this hope, a hope that is authentic…a hope in the only one worth hoping in. Jesus is his name and Mona knows him well. Her writings are a gift for a hungry world. Taste and enjoy!