replaced badly damaged when they grew old. They pieces with new ones. He weren’t even sure if they had many bones mended would have the chance to or pinned to make them grow old together. useful again. Tim found a “I was so longing for purpose. Tim found a talmy father and his wisdom. ent that he never realized I needed him to tell me he had ... and he began to it was going to be okay,” start to heal through art. Tim recalled sadly. With a renewed purFeeling especially down pose, Tim found himself one day in early 2007, obsessed in making airTim thought of his father plane after airplane. Each and how Curtis felt his time he made a new one happiest when he returned it would better, stronger, back to the Appalachian and more aerodynamically Mountains. Tim felt that correct. Ginny saw the God was trying to send pride and talent in Tim. him a message that he also Here were all these beaubelonged in the mountiful handcrafted planes... tains. Excited, yet fearful for the change, Tim shared Wooden piece created by Tim Barker. The cabins and snowman are incense how could she help be part burners that have smoke that bellow from the chimney and pipe. of this healing process and his thoughts with Ginny. support her husband? She Within a month, the Barkers packed up their sons and belongings and moved to the Appa- knew a little about painting, and Ginny started painting, sealing lachians. Not far from Saltville, the Barkers found an affordable and setting the planes to dry on the ramp to their shed. As soon home in Ashe County. They also found an accepting church fam- as a few were laid out to dry, a passersby stopped to inquire if they were for sale or if he did other woodwork. Overwhelmed ily at nearby Welcome Home Baptist Church. and humbled, Tim realized that the children that ran to pick their planes were filled with great joy. Tim was never looking for this Healing Through Art Even though the healing process had started for the Barker fam- therapeutic hobby to provide an income. Instead, Tim made more ily, Tim still suffered not just physical, but also mental and emotion- airplanes for his own fulfillment and the knowledge they brought al scarring. As it would for any person, Tim’s ego took a beating. It happiness to others. Tim didn’t stop with airplanes. One day while working in the hurt him that he wasn’t able to continue working the job he loved, and to be able to provide for his family. That part of his life was shed, Tim’s boys, who were playing in the yard with sticks, came rushing in. They asked, “Dad can you turn our sticks into guns, missing. At times, self-doubt and self pity would overtake him. One goal of the couple was to find new things they could do cause that would be really cool.” Tim was still learning his craft, together. Ginny and Tim became thrifty yard sale hunters. They but was determined to succeed. Tim knew he could make planes, found many treasures that could be repurposed into new things for but this was different. This was his boys, and it had to be just right. That night, after hours of nonstop work, their family. During one of their yard sale he did it. He had made rifles with workoutings, Tim came across a simple wooding triggers and hammers for the realistic en airplane. The plane was in a dilapidataction. Watching his boys play with their ed state, missing pieces and falling apart new toys filled him with glowing pride. as he held it. But for some reason, Tim Tim knew that there was still so much he was drawn to it. Tim bought the airplane, could do to provide for his family ... the carefully holding it, hoping to not cause role of being a dad was much more than anymore damage to it. Why was he drawn working a 9-to-5 job. to the plane? What was it about this plane that gave him hope? Why did he think he In the years that followed, the toys the could fix it? Tim was not a handyman or boys requested were grander and grander, even that crafty of a person. and happily Tim fulfilled every one of When they returned to home, Tim them. Curtis and Timmy’s friends would headed to the shed where he kept his bastart asking for cool homemade crafts afsic tool box. Tim tried to fix the plane, but ter playing with the boys’. Tim was more the pieces were too brittle and delicate. than happy to fulfill their wishes. Next Instead, Tim started taking the airplane thing Tim knew, people from within the apart, keeping and reinforcing the parts Barkers lives were lining up to ask for he could. Next, he built pieces to replace special one-of-a-kind crafts to give away those missing or unable to be used. Little as gifts. He did so because he was given did Tim know at the time, but this aira new purpose, and found happiness in plane would become a metaphor for his Tim and his mom Hazel at the Shriner’s Hospital making others happy. life. His bones were brittle, and doctors For example, Tim’s kids would somein Greenville, SC 40
High Country Magazine
December 2016