An Artist's Victory over Parkinson's: The Barclay Sheaks Miracle

Barclay Sheaks first met Glenn Shepard in a ninth-grade art class. Sheaks was a charismatic, popular young teacher who was always surrounded by adoring students. Shepard was a fifteen-year-old with
a talent for art. Soon, the two bonded over their passions for hunting and fishing, beginning a lifetime friendship.

In an inspiring biography, Shepard chronicles the artistic production and personal experiences of Sheaks from 2006 until his death in 2010, reflecting on the progressive impact of Parkinson’s disease on his art and his life. While in the advanced stages of the disease, Sheaks immersed himself in a sudden, miraculous period of productivity from January to March 2010, ultimately producing a series of quality paintings. Despite his continued health challenges, Sheak’s jovial personality returned and he continued to work, completing his last painting a few days before his death at age eighty-one, proving that no matter the diagnosis, it is possible to live with zest, pursue passions, and regain normalcy in life.

An Artist’s Victory over Parkinson’s shares the true story of an artist’s journey through a challenging disease as he found a way to overcome his obstacles and produce beautiful paintings until his death.