Artist Statement
I was 17 when I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, a bowel
disease which can cause muscle pain and chronic fatigue, which also has
resulted in frequent hospitalisation. It effects every aspect of my life. I
knew like many artists that for me art was an outlook for processing my
experiences but that also it could help me advocate for myself and help others
to understand my experiences; to create something positive from my pain, such
as Tracey Emin does.
I have typically chosen to work on a smaller scale, with my preferential medium being lino printing because although almost all art forms cause aggravation to the chronic pain I have, from damaged tendons in my shoulders, it feels like the medium for which the pain feels the most ‘worth it’. Although I’m working on a smaller scale I try to ensure my work is accessible where possible: displaying at an accessible gallery view (120cm) and ensuring my digital record of my work is dyslexic friendly as well as including ALT Texts.
My most recent work focuses on the concept - ‘Spoon Theory’.
Spoon Theory takes living with a chronic illness and puts energy into a non-numerical format. Spoon theory is relevant for anyone who is chronically ill, disabled, has chronic fatigue, mental illness such as depression or BPD, or even being neurodivergent. Everyone is balancing different things and their costs. I often find my day to day life is like playing an RPG (role player game) where you must make choices and each choice costs a different amount: Walk = 10 Spoons or Bus = 2 Spoons, Wash Hair = 12 Spoons or Dry Shampoo = 1 Spoon.
I am influenced by other artists with chronic illnesses/ disabilities, such as Daniel Leighton, who has Ulcerative Colitis as well, whose work is both informative as well as accessible to him in all stages of health as he works digitally. My work currently focuses on my own experience but is through discussions within the disabled community is relatable to everyone; Riva Lehrer’s work is incredible but unlike mine explores other artists experiences with disability through her ‘Circle Stories’ I would like to explore advocation for a larger community of people in the future through my art. This is also something I was struck by in Richard Phoenix’s Work.
Not Every Flower Is the Same (October 2024) Is a Zine made from collage about the experience of never seeing disabled models in magazines & on TV.
I Want To Be Seen (November 2024) Is a digital work transforming an accidental poem into an artwork expressing the experience of being misunderstood and belittled due to the invisible nature of IBD. The digital nature of this piece made it accessible to me while being bedridden. My mental health when bedridden takes a massive decline, which is something Rebecca Horn focuses on her art, it can be isolating to be ill; ‘Not being seen’.
Down The Drain (December 2024) Is a Lino Print that became a collection of works; A Newsprint, repeated print; Chronic Illness & Wasted Energy, Posters; and Down The Drain, Collage. My work feels like a form of rebellion in response to my experiences - although you won’t find myself depicted instead you will find my use of wheat pasting and repeated works slowly being spread out. I want to start exhibiting my work in less conventional places in the future.
I would also like to pursue more interaction with my work. Helen Chadwick’s work is bold and outlandish, forcing people to physically move around it.
I am currently experimenting with a sense of movement and repetitive motions in my work, this is part of why Lino appeals to me; the repetitive carving motions are soothing and consistent.
I have typically chosen to work on a smaller scale, with my preferential medium being lino printing because although almost all art forms cause aggravation to the chronic pain I have, from damaged tendons in my shoulders, it feels like the medium for which the pain feels the most ‘worth it’. Although I’m working on a smaller scale I try to ensure my work is accessible where possible: displaying at an accessible gallery view (120cm) and ensuring my digital record of my work is dyslexic friendly as well as including ALT Texts.
My most recent work focuses on the concept - ‘Spoon Theory’.
Spoon Theory takes living with a chronic illness and puts energy into a non-numerical format. Spoon theory is relevant for anyone who is chronically ill, disabled, has chronic fatigue, mental illness such as depression or BPD, or even being neurodivergent. Everyone is balancing different things and their costs. I often find my day to day life is like playing an RPG (role player game) where you must make choices and each choice costs a different amount: Walk = 10 Spoons or Bus = 2 Spoons, Wash Hair = 12 Spoons or Dry Shampoo = 1 Spoon.
I am influenced by other artists with chronic illnesses/ disabilities, such as Daniel Leighton, who has Ulcerative Colitis as well, whose work is both informative as well as accessible to him in all stages of health as he works digitally. My work currently focuses on my own experience but is through discussions within the disabled community is relatable to everyone; Riva Lehrer’s work is incredible but unlike mine explores other artists experiences with disability through her ‘Circle Stories’ I would like to explore advocation for a larger community of people in the future through my art. This is also something I was struck by in Richard Phoenix’s Work.
Not Every Flower Is the Same (October 2024) Is a Zine made from collage about the experience of never seeing disabled models in magazines & on TV.
I Want To Be Seen (November 2024) Is a digital work transforming an accidental poem into an artwork expressing the experience of being misunderstood and belittled due to the invisible nature of IBD. The digital nature of this piece made it accessible to me while being bedridden. My mental health when bedridden takes a massive decline, which is something Rebecca Horn focuses on her art, it can be isolating to be ill; ‘Not being seen’.
Down The Drain (December 2024) Is a Lino Print that became a collection of works; A Newsprint, repeated print; Chronic Illness & Wasted Energy, Posters; and Down The Drain, Collage. My work feels like a form of rebellion in response to my experiences - although you won’t find myself depicted instead you will find my use of wheat pasting and repeated works slowly being spread out. I want to start exhibiting my work in less conventional places in the future.
I would also like to pursue more interaction with my work. Helen Chadwick’s work is bold and outlandish, forcing people to physically move around it.
I am currently experimenting with a sense of movement and repetitive motions in my work, this is part of why Lino appeals to me; the repetitive carving motions are soothing and consistent.