3/22/2020 1 Comment Why I need houseplants.
When I came home from the hospital in August, I was losing my mind while trying to figure out how to live comfortably while being home full-time. My mind was so scrambled. These days, I am so limited by mental fatigue that it can be hard to easily feel happy. I was slipping into a brutal depression as I struggled with finding my footing. Usually I'm the type of person that likes to be incredibly regimented. Maintaining a schedule and feeling collected helps me feel worthwhile, and gives purpose to every hour of the day. During nursing school in 2012 I would strictly abide by a schedule that had a set time for everything. I wrote in every single thing I did, from class times and gym sessions, to bathroom breaks. When I met my boyfriend Nathan back then, he was surprised when 9pm came and I would say, "I'm sorry but you have to leave now. It's bedtime. Goodnight!" I would send him home because lights were out by 9:30pm, so I could be well-rested and early for school the next day. Class started at 7:30am, but I considered myself late if I arrived a moment past 7:00am. This is what I affectionately coined "suffering from chronic punctuality".
Lessons learned? |
The shop is live, and my latest series, "Poetic Forms", is available for purchase. "Poetic Forms" is an abstract painting series begun in spring of 2020, which continues to develop. Many of these pieces feature glimpses of original poetry, written between 2006 and today. While recovering from a severe MS relapse that left me incredibly restricted energy-wise- I started playing with many types of media and pushing further outside of my comfort zone with abstraction. |
Beginning with high quality 135lb Italian paper and miscellaneous paint brushes, I lay initial acrylic washes of colour using my left hand. It is not my dominant arm, but its strength is more reliable than the other.
My right hand has more keen dexterity. I've figured it out that I can save mental energy for detail work by using my left hand for the "less important" steps in building images. Then, I work more rapidly with my dominant but neurologically-limited right arm, and a pallet knife.
It is really difficult to explain the complexity of how Multiple Sclerosis truly affects me, but I'm persevering and finding ways around obstacles day after day. When you need to make art, you find a way.
My right hand has more keen dexterity. I've figured it out that I can save mental energy for detail work by using my left hand for the "less important" steps in building images. Then, I work more rapidly with my dominant but neurologically-limited right arm, and a pallet knife.
It is really difficult to explain the complexity of how Multiple Sclerosis truly affects me, but I'm persevering and finding ways around obstacles day after day. When you need to make art, you find a way.