As part of her art therapy, Sasha Bogosian began splattering and sponging paint on jeans. The 16-year-old, who has epilepsy and hemiplegic cerebral palsy (a condition that affects her movement and ability to process information and communicate fluidly), now paints jeans for celebrities. Her mother, Isabell, spoke to Paul Wynn about her daughter.
My pregnancy with Sasha was normal, but the delivery was difficult. Sasha arrived breech, and for a few seconds after delivery she wasn't breathing. The next day, my husband and I noticed that Sasha's arm twitched and her lips were puckered. The doctors moved her to the intensive care unit, where they discovered she'd had a stroke. She then began having seizures and was diagnosed with epilepsy and cerebral palsy.
Sasha was prescribed antiseizure medication and physical and occupational therapy to help strengthen her right side, which was weakened by the stroke. When she was 7, she started art therapy that incorporated exercise and bilateral movements. A year later, Sasha underwent a surgical procedure to correct an inverted femur. During her long recovery, I suggested that she paint denim. We thought it would help strengthen her upper body and distract her from the discomfort and pain. I worked for Levi Strauss & Co. for 25 years and had lots of denim in my closet.
Sasha loved splattering and sponging paint on jeans and wearing them to show off her artistic style. I also started wearing the painted pants, and people would stop and ask me where I got them. When I shared Sasha's story, they almost always asked if Sasha could paint their jeans.
Eventually a reporter heard about Sasha's project and featured her on the local news. Soon afterward, we were contacted by Levi's Haus, a fashion brand in West Hollywood focused on denim, and invited to a back-to-school event at a restaurant run by actress Jessica Biel and interior designer Estee Stanley. During the event, Sasha painted kids’ denim clothes and customized jeans for Biel and Stanley. The experience prompted us to create the Sasha Project LA, a nonprofit organization that raises funds for art therapy programs at Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). Levi's Haus was our first donor, with a gift of $2,500.
Since the event with Biel and Stanley, Sasha has painted jeans for other celebrities, including Kristen Bell, Paris Hilton, Chris Pine, Jack Black, Katy Perry, and Lionel Richie. She's fielded requests to splatter an electric guitar for the lead singer of the band Bornes and sneakers through a partnership with Billy Footwear. She now has a line of denim and adaptive clothing with side zippers and magnets instead of buttons, which make it easier for people like her to get dressed. So far, the Sasha Project LA has donated more than $80,000 to CHLA.
Sasha also established the Splatter Squad to encourage children and teenagers to get involved in painting and help her raise funds for CHLA through bake sales. She started a similar program at her high school and wants to visit other schools to expand the idea. This summer Sasha will lead a denim painting project at CHLA's Handy Heroes occupational therapy camp for those with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Sasha's openness about living with the condition and her desire to use her artistic talent to give back to the community inspire these campers to keep trying their best.
