Skiing, Athleticism, Partying and Redemption

What this episode covers

On this Gratitude:UnFiltered w/ host Joshua T Berglan.... Wyze Art was founded by Andrew Shorts, a recovering addict and retired professional skier. Born and raised in Jackson Hole, Andrew Shorts was brought up in a community built around skiing, athleticism, and partying. Andrew recognized at a young age he had a unrelenting passion for skiing, skateboarding, music, and art. Through his adolescence, he pursued competitive skiing, and skateboarding making podium and taking gold medals in local, regional and national events. When he wasn’t skiing or skateboarding, he was painting, and starting to build a name as an artist in the art scene of Jackson Hole, signing all of his works as Wyze. As the years went on, he began to struggle with anxiety, depression, and suicide, all of which were immensely exacerbated by his increasing use of drugs and alcohol. Taking hold of Andrew’s time and priorities, addiction flooded every corner of his life, until that seemed to be the only thing occupying Andrew’s mind. The subsequent issues with school, family, and the law led Andrew to bounce in and out of group homes and state custody for over 5 years. Shortly after turning 18, Andrew’s lifestyle choices forced him to drop out of high school, and subsequently things only got more and more bleak. From there he bounced between jail, rehab, and living out of his car and a hammock for about 2 years. Unbeknownst to him, being arrested one final time would be a turning point that would in the long term lead him to a new path that would pay endless dividends. Shortly after his arrest, it was clear the legal system felt that they had no choice but to send him to prison. But against their best judgement, Andrew was given one last shot at success: an incredibly rigid program called drug court. After several months of jail time he was released to begin the drug court program, and start the grueling process of picking up the pieces of his once promising future. Over the course of two and a half years he was able to stay clean while finding his way back to financial, emotional, and mental stability. Nearing his graduation of the program, Andrew was creating volunteer programs to help ‘at risk youth’, skiing on the competitive circuit again, and repairing all of the damaged relationships of his past. After graduation, he set his sights on being an artist again, dabbling in music, reviving his love for photography, video production, and graphic design. Just after celebrating 3 years in recovery, Andrew moved to Ogden, Utah to start building a life with his wife Kate, and to move to an area more conducive to his new lifestyle as an artist, and recovering addict. As soon as he made roots in Utah, his love for painting was reignited to levels he could not have imagined. He knew he had a story to tell and a dream that he had to live out. With several years of recovery, he was more focused, more driven and more hungry than ever to build a name for himself, and to share his journey and his creations with the world. And thus he brought Wyze Art to life in conjunction with Wyze Media; his vlogging, gaming, and podcasting YouTube channel. Now Andrew is in the ongoing process of forever refining his craft, selling his art, creating content, raising his new daughter, and building a life he is proud of. This website, and the art inside it is the fruits of Andrew’s labor. Its the product of his pain, joy, fear, and gratitude. Its a representation of his heart, his dream, and his love for the life he has created. ” I spent years of my life going to bed hoping I wouldn’t wake up the next day, living only for the prospect of getting high and self destructing. Now I have a hard time going to sleep because i cant wait to try something new, and do the things I love. To go from wanting to die every night, to being so excited to live every day to the fullest is something I wouldn’t ...