The Power of Creation: Art as Refuge and Personal Growth

Compárteme

Living between art and multiple sclerosis

Creating—or rather, the process of creating—has helped me connect more deeply with myself and has allowed me to discover new dimensions of my identity. By expressing my emotions and thoughts, painting has become a safe space to process the impact that multiple sclerosis has had on my life.

Surf N’ Roses New Collection; cover based on one of my paintings

Painting offers me a unique opportunity to express myself and grow. Furthermore, it provides a space to experiment, discover, and explore new ideas and techniques. In turn, it opens the way to accept the changes that are beyond my control.

Painting as an Agent of Change

The need to adapt to a new reality marked by chronic illness, to changes in family and social dynamics, as well as to physical and functional limitations, can contribute to feelings of lost control and autonomy.

Painting has become an act of truth, where I have the freedom to be authentic, transparent, and honest with myself and the world around me. The artworks I am able to create are not merely aesthetic products, but part of the visual record of my journey with multiple sclerosis. These works, or each sequence of works, are chapters that narrate my struggles and my joys. Moreover, these works of art are part of the lessons learned along the way.

Through painting, I can challenge the stereotypes that accompany illness, and I can also contribute to a broader cultural shift. In this way, people begin to see the person first, rather than the disease.

Self-Acceptance through Artistic Creation

Through the process of creating, we can explore and embrace the parts of ourselves affected by multiple sclerosis. The color palette becomes a tool to illuminate the inherent beauty that lies in both diversity and uniqueness.

This, in turn, fosters self-acceptance amidst the physical and emotional changes we experience daily with multiple sclerosis.