Women's Health Collection
Project doing portraits of people who have faced and dealt with or are dealing with disabilities and/or health issues, with their stories in their own words
Michelle Bharier 2023
Thank you very kindly to Michelle for this wonderful collaboration and here is Michelle’s story in her own words – transcribed by me:
For me – Mental health and dyslexia.
So for me one of the things I find really important, is to pay attention to the world around me and that means going on lots of public transport and train journeys and bus journeys and just staring out the window and taking in the view. Which is why I take so many photographs and I use them in my work later on, to kind of put across how I feel about the world around me and my place in it I suppose, which is very small, just as a tiny, little individual.
But I love watching the intersection of tracks and things, I dont know, there is something I think, quite sexy about them which is quite weird probably, that doesnt mean I have sex with trainlines, no of course not, but there is something I find quite exciting about the travelling and the observation.
And I suppose, living in London, one of the things that is really interesting is its always changing. So there is always transition, so you might know somewhere, but then you dont know it, and in a way that is quite exciting too, that offers quite a lot of surprise when you go out and you have to be aware because otherwise, well you will get lost. Or something else, youll get confused.
And I suppose that is something that happened after the pandemic – I went out and this whole estate I knew had been knocked down and I hadnt been there.
So what am I meant to tell you about my mental health and dyslexia? Well I get very confused at train stations and get lost quite a lot, and cant find my way in, let alone my way out or redirections.
I have to be quite slow when Im in a train station or underground or overground, and I have to read very carefully, its very easy for me to misread and get the wrong end of the stick and go in the wrong direction and waste a lot of my time.
So I have to be quite careful and these things get confusing so I have to be able to ask people questions and obviously, more and more, there’s no guards on trains.
And the lack of guards on trains makes life really really difficult because you have to read more, and I cant always take instruction from someone if I cant see them, because as well as having phonic deficit, so I dont hear the whole range of sounds that most people here, Ive also gone slightly deaf through age and now that compounds that and can makes it more difficult and I suppose, some thing about that that’s really important is that sometimes its really isolating, because you dont know people are talking to you and yeah, so you might appear rude, which isnt the intention of course, obviously. But such is how it is.
Ide like to be pictured on a piece of public transport because of how I deal with my anxiety, which sounds a little odd, but if Im at home sometimes, its more stressful than if I come out and just take a train ride or a bus ride, because it gives me something to concentrate on thats not me. It forces me to pay attention and to be somewhere else and not in my own head.
Image Description: watercolour painting of a woman with hair tied up in a long pony tail which is on one side Her hair is bright pink at the top and green and toffee coloured towards the ends. Her fingers are gently resting on her face, with her thumb under her chin. She is wearing a soft, fluffy large cuffed sleeved bright pink jumper and is sat on a train.
Watercolour and gouache on watercolour paper (22.9 x 30.5 cm) unframed
Price £454 ($565US) plus package and postage
DM to purchase
Helen White 2023
Trigger warning for Birth Trauma
I was born in the late 60’s. One of a twin, me and my brother entered the world feet first and unbeknown to anyone, I had the umbilical cord wrapped about my neck. Hence I started off my life dead.
After four minutes the doctors revived me and then threw me into an incubator. Two weeks later I joined my brother and 2 sisters in a home in a small mining village on the very outskirts of Sheffield.
I failed all my baby milestone’s and was finally diagnosed with Quadriplegia Athetoid Cerebral Palsy and a speech impediment. I eventually did learn to walk with an altered gait. The right side of my body was significantly weaker leaving me with no fine motor movement in my right arm.
In my family house you just got on with things so I did. I went to a mainstream Junior school and then I attended a School for Disabled People from the age of 11 . My intellect was not affected by my CP so I went on to do 0 and A levels.
When I was 18 I saw my careers teacher. I told him I wated to become a Social Worker. He told me in no uncertain terms to think again, no one with my speech impediment could ever work in that profession.
Along the way I became a Christian, and this remains central in my life. I undertook a Degree in Theology, then went onto work in Manchester as a carer for people with Learning Disabilities.
I undertook a Diploma in Social work a year later and I worked for over 30 years in a career both practising and teaching Social Work.
Age has brought some Health challenges . I now do most things from a wheelchair which I think are wonderful inventions and I developed a problem with my swallowing 8 years ago which now means I’m on a soft food diet.
I have lived alone for over thirty years independently and 13 years ago I was partnered with my first assistance dog who died 2 years ago, eight months ago I was partnered with my current dog.
I drive a car frequently around Britain. In these last 8 years I have travelled around the world twice to New Zealand alone as well as visiting other countries along the way. Not bad for someone who started off their life dead
ID: Dark haired grinning middle aged woman with hair plastered to her head. She is stood in the middle of a swimming pool, drenched to the skin, wearing a rainbow coloured top. Her arms are outstretched to the sides and water can be seen dripping from her sleeves, her sleeves have stretched with the water and are hanging off covering her hands.
Materials – watercolour and gouache on mixed media paper (29.7 x 42 cm)
Price £604 ($753 US) plus package and postage
DM to purchase
Jaki Crossfield 2023
Thank you for the fabulous collaboration
Here is Jaki’ story in her own words: This is not about my body!
This is about me. I shall tell you about me. Not conditions, or pain or what, how, when, except to say: I am disabled. I have always been disabled, I always will be disabled, and it is a very part of my being and sense of self within the world. No different to you than your gender or your race. It has shaped me, my personality, beliefs, experiences. Because of it, sometimes my world gets a lot smaller, and sometimes it gets amazingly bigger.
And, this may be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t think able-bodied people, will EVER, EVER understand that. OR, they will only understand from an intellectual perspective. Just as I don’t know what it is to be born a boy, or what it feels like to be a person of colour.
Sometimes it can be a majorly negative experience being in the world as a disabled person, and now and again, it actually has benefits, and is something to be PROUD of. I am PROUD of myself, and PROUD of every other disabled person alive, just for having to navigate this world that is not designed for us.
It is a privilege too, to share the experience of that pain, that struggle, that dynamism, that hopefulness, that major piece of our lives that sits with every disabled person differently.
No two experiences are the same, just like no two experiences for women are the same. Those physical and mental “mistakes” that happen through birth, accident and/or illness, ARE part of what it is to be human. We are not separate from the human race, we too are the human race. Perhaps more so.
Where I feel most my myself, most human, is in nature. Nature is my balm. Where I feel whole and at peace, for nature does not judge, nature accepts what you are, where you are, where be-ing is enough, where connection is enough. And my dog Lily, as well as all the other dogs and animals I have had in my life, reminds me that I am always enough.
I am a big Star Trek fan (and sci-fi in general) and one of the main things I love about Star Trek is that crew mates listen to each other. They do not dismiss anyone’s experience, whoever or whatever they are. Each experience from every person on the ship or encountered is a chance to connect, listen, and understand. Everyone is treated as a whole, important person (or entity/alien!) and I love that. They notice change in each other, they work together to help solve someone’s individual problems, they help each to achieve their potential. Star Trek embraces the other. There is a Vulcan spiritual saying “Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations” (IDIC) and if that isn’t a blueprint for a fully equal society, I don’t know what is.
Xxx
Watercolour, gouache and black waterproof marker on watercolor paper (30.5 x 40.6 cm) unframed
Price £604 ($753 US) plus package and postage
DM to purchase
ID: Blonde haired attractive woman with hair blowing in the wind, sat on a rock at the beach. She is wearing a yellow chunky cardi and a sandy coloured dress with blue flowers and green and white leaves on it. She is holding a polystyrene tray in one hand and the other is dipped into the tray. Next to her is a portion of chips wrapped in paper emerging from a plastic bag chips peeping through the folded paper. At her feet is her loyal companion, a lovely black and white dog, wearing a harness, with her back towards us. In the background is sandgrass, grass and vegetation. Down the left side of the painting is the vulcan symbol for their spiritual saying “Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations”
Janet Cresswell 2023
I’ve had 28 operations on my arms, legs and feet . I had an unconventional childhood as I was abandoned at birth and then fostered long term .I attended ordinary state school in sixties and seventies which was quite rare.
I wasn’t very academic as I spent 3 years in hospital losing education..but I caught up later on .
I am now living with a new partner having lost my husband 2 years ago . I rely on carers for personal care and domestic support.
My hobbies are taking my dog out and meeting people, Spiritual religion, music, creative writing and Art .
Watercolour and gouache (22.9 x 30.5 cm) unframed
$565 US
Judith Derosiers Malaney 2023
I started dancing at two years old, just as well my keen dance career and training helped so very much with my undiagnosed disorders. I always felt I had to work twice as hard as other dancers, but my career was my identity, dancer, dance teacher, award winning choreographer etc.
I had stared fainting at fifteen despite being as fit as an Olympic athlete, only in certain situations. I had a dreadful fall at eight months pregnant with my son, and was never the same again, with much worsening of my, what I now know to be, Ehler Danlos syndrome with Marfan’s features. It took a private consultation to find this out, and also that I have postural orthostatic tachycardia.
I have gone from being highly paid and admired for my body to being pitied and initially, disbelieved.
My son inherited the same disorders, being adopted I didn’t know I had, and I am currently struggling to get out of bed on a daily basis, once again.
I have walked for 26years longer than a top surgeon said I would.
I had always loved drawing and discovered I could paint about twelve years ago, in this time painting more than 3000
I’m always tired!
Watercolour and gold ink (22.9 x 30.5 cm)
$615
Jean Eveleigh 2023
Hi, I’m Jean, I’m 43 and a mother to a great 20yo, a dog and a cat. I have a condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome which is a progressive, genetic condition that means I produce faulty collagen (the body’s superglue; this affects every aspect of my body from my eyes to my toes, internally as well as externally.
The condition fluctuates so some days you may see me with a walking/zimmer frame, others in a wheelchair and others unable to get out of bed. It affects everything from my ability to concentrate to my ability to sleep, my ability to breath properly, my ability to eat to my ability to toilet without medical assistance.
And again as the condition fluctuates I never know until I wake up which function will be working properly and which will be playing up each day, they can also decide to mess around during the day as well so just because I can do something in the morning doesn’t mean I will still be able to do it in the afternoon or evening.
It is not terminal but it is defiantly life-limiting and robs me of almost all the ideas of a normal life for someone my age. I am not allowed to be left along for long and have to be supervised doing all the normal daily things such as making a drink, cooking a meal, having a shower and going to the loo in case I need help during the activity or something goes wrong and I injure myself (dropping a kettle, knife, pan or roasting tin, being unable to stand up to get of the loo etc.) so I loose alot of my autonomy it feels as if I am trapped in the life of a toddler, my brain says I can do xyz, my willingness is there but my body fails me or makes it too dangerous to do alone – this, the loss of spontaneity and the constant fatigue is the most infuriating aspect of this disease.
I have two wonderful carers who provide me 24/7 wrap around care to keep me alive and safe. To keep me occupied as I am mostly unable to work I campaign with Scope around disability issues such as access and extra costs and My Death My Decision for access to assisted deaths if people chose one rather than having to resort to suicide or travelling to another country to have control and comfort when they are ready and need to die on their own terms. I also enjoy doing crosswords and playing various versions of the card game Solitaire along with a moving block game called Woodoku, basically anything that helps to exercise my brain and my hand/eye co-ordination.
Watercolour and gold ink (22.9 x 30.5 cm) Unframed
Price $615 plus package and postage
Patricia Helbig 2023.
Thank you to Patricia Helbig for this wonderful collaboration – here is Patricia’s story in her own words: Trigger warning for medical negligence n gaslighting.
“My story is quite unique because I still don’t have a firm diagnosis, but I have witnessed my health plummet, I am now in my 40s. I went from incredibly active, a musical theatre performer, known as the “energizer bunny”, to barely moving, needing a walker, than a wheelchair, because of falling. In 2020, my health worsened, my nervous system short circuited, and I was unable to do anything. I now have an LNA to help me bathe and my body responds like someone who has had a stroke. I also have major sensory issues, so I can no longer perform, or be indoors for long, without my body violently heaving. I recently got developmental neurological testing and it showed processing issues and similar symptoms to ADHD and Autism. But, the person reading the test, who did their thesis on neurological function disorder, decided that I had that. and advised I jump on a trampoline and pull heavy objects! Because I went from animated, to very quiet in tests, due to sensory overload and feeling quite sick, I was labeled with a Personality Disorder. It’s been hell! Invalidating everything that I have endured. Every crack. Every assumption. Every aggression and misperception, I have received. I don’t react the way that Im supposed to. I don’t respond the way that Im supposed to. I am too this or that, to ever be fully validated. Over and over I have been treated and taught that my life doesn’t matter. I am dispensible. I am a burden. I am helpless. I am lazy. I am a child, not an adult, and it is my fault. I trying very hard for this not to break me.
I can no longer smile and pretend that I am okay. I had so much potential, so much ability, but the world refused to acknowledge my challenges, to give me the support and resources that I desperately, and allowed me to fall instead.
Materials – Watercolour, gouache, crayon on watercolour paper (22.9 x 30.5 cm) unframed
Price – $481 ($615US) +pnp
DM to purchase
Sarah Park 2023
Thank you very kindly to Sarah Park for this fabulous collaboration
Here is Sarah’s story in her own words: I am a woman in her 40s who has been disabled since birth. I have spina bifida and hydrocephalus, and for the majority of my life, I have been a full-time wheelchair user. I am passionate about interests that bring balance and enrichment to my life. These pursuits reflect my passions and contribute to the broader goal of fostering inclusivity and breaking down barriers for disabled individuals.
Writing has always been a cherished outlet for me. It allows me to express my thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a way that resonates with others. Through the written word, I have the privilege of sharing stories of triumph, resilience, and the limitless potential within the disability community. Whether through articles, blogs, or personal narratives, I find immense joy in using the power of storytelling to inspire and educate.
One of the most transformative experiences in my life has been scuba diving. With its vibrant colours and mesmerizing marine life, the underwater world provides a unique sense of freedom and exploration. I have found that the aquatic environment is one where disability often becomes inconsequential, as the buoyancy of the water levels the playing field.
My experiences in scuba diving have taught me the importance of accessible recreational activities and the profound impact they can have on individuals with disabilities.
Live music is another passion that transcends barriers and brings people together. There’s something magical about the energy of a live performance, the rhythm that unites diverse audiences, and the power of music to connect us on a deep emotional level. I am particularly drawn to advocating for accessible live music experiences, ensuring that venues and events are welcoming to all, regardless of physical abilities.
In all these pursuits, my underlying mission remains constant. Every interest and hobby can be a vehicle for change and inclusivity. By sharing my experiences and insights in writing, by promoting accessible recreation like scuba diving, and by advocating for inclusive live music events, I continue to work towards a world where disabled individuals are valued, heard, and supported in all aspects of life. There is still much work to be done on the journey to inclusivity, but through my interests and passions, I am committed to contributing to positive change and making the world a better place for everyone.
Materials – Watercolour painting (22.9 x 30.5 cm) (9 x 12 inches) unframed
Price – £481 ($615US) plus package and postage
Prints – £30 ($38US) plus package and postage
DM to purchase
Laura Porter 2023, Women’s Health Series
Thank you very kindly to Laura Laura Porter for this fabulous collaboration and for wearing such a fabulous dress!
Here is Laura’s story in her own words – Trauma. Abuse. Neglect. Psychological games… Broken bones. Broken mind. Broken spirit. A broken self. The details don’t seem to matter anymore.
“You’d never know…” is what most people say when I tell “my story…” What am I supposed to say to that? “Thanks?”
Then, of course, there was “I cannot believe you’ve dumped all that on me, normal people shouldn’t have to hear that stuff!” That… after having been asked, repeatedly, for months, to “Let me in! I want to help!”
So, how do I tell my story now? I tell it through acts of love. Through sharing music. Through fleeting exchanges, like when the elderly lady and I decide to non-verbally gee each other along – me 41, her? 85+? – as we attempt to navigate the hills and valleys of loose paving slabs which line our high street. Me atop my wheelchair, her with her three-wheel walker.
A fleeting smile; which just tells another: You are seen. You are heard. You are believed.”
Materials – Watercolour painting with some gold ink, A3 ( 29.7 x 42 cm) (11.7 x 16.5 inches) unframed
Price – £639 ($814US) plus package and postage
Prints available for £40 ($50US) plus £10 ($12.50US) for addition of gold ink by hand plus package and postage which is £10 in UK tracked next day delivery ($30.38 US for package and postage)
DM to purchase
Annie Bishop, Women’s Health Series 2023
Thank you very kindly to Annie for the collaboration and wonderful photograph provided.
Here is Annie’s story in her own words – “My name is Annie Bishop of Scottish and Northern Irish descent I have a socio legal background I am a mother and partner who has campaigned for disability rights since I was dx with MS 18 years ago”
Materials – 25 x 25 cm (9.84 x 9.84 inches), watercolour and gouache, unframed
Price – £450 ($573US) plus package and postage
Prints – £30 plus package and postage
DM to purchase
Morvenna Dorita 2023, Women’s Health Series
Thank you very kindly to Morvenna Dorita for this fabulous collaboration and your wonderful smile and hair
Here is Morvenna’s story in her own words –
“About 8 years ago, i was diagnosed with a rare form of adult onset, Muscular Dystrophy, known as Myofibrillar Myopathy. My medical team said it was probably impossible to ever build muscle and that my condition would deteriorate, which it did, pretty fast.
The advice given to me at the time was very negative, i was told that even with years of intense physio, it was highly unlikely that i could improve my mobility and was told i needed to use a power chair. So, for the past 5 years i got around in a power chair, i also needed NIV (non invasive ventilation) to help my breathing. Even the lightest of daily tasks would leave me breathless such as putting on shoes, getting dressed and doing light housework, all those things we take for granted would be easy. I was needing NIV after performing all these tasks and i was obesely overweight, which meant my body had to work even harder to manage daily life. I weighed in at 103kg. My diet was full of junk food, high fat, high sugar and lacked so many essential nutrients.
Then something strange happened, a global pandemic. The waiting list to see a physiotherapist was growing, so i decided to take it on myself and start exercising. Two years later and my medical team are baffled by the fact i have rebuilt muscle, improved my mobility and i no longer need NIV for my breathing problems. I found a few fitness gadgets on line, starting off very gently, afraid of failing, afraid of falling or pulling a muscle in the process, or even risk becoming worse somehow.
Cutting a long story short, i now weigh 56.6kg, have rebuilt muscle, enjoy more energy to do the things i love doing, improved my mobility so much that iv now ditched the power chair for a self propelling sports chair, im a regular at the local gym and attend an inclusive dance class in town once a week. My diet is so healthy including all the essential nutrients which i believe has helped so much, along with strength training and aerobic exercise. I would like to share this journey with you in the hope of helping other disabled people improve their lifestyle and boost both physical and mental health.
I have recently qualified as a fitness instructor and personal trainer as well as more recently qualified as a Pilates instructor.”
Materials – Watercolour painting A3 ( 29.7 x 42 cm) (11.7 x 16.5 inches) unframed
Price – £639 ($814US) plus package and postage
Prints available for £40 ($50US) plus package and postage which is £10 in UK tracked next day delivery ($30.38 US for package and postage)
DM to purchase
Abbie Hills, Women’s Health Series 2923
Thank you very kindly for this wonderful collaboration of myself, Abbie Hills and the kind permission of photographer Scott Chalmers for use of photograph
Here is Abbie’s story in her own words –
” I am a talent agent and access coordinator who has been working in film and tv for over 10 years. I am super passionate about my work and advocating for disability awareness – particularly in the industry I work in. I have cerebral palsy that affects the whole left side of my body.”
Materials – Watercolour on A3 paper (29.7 x 42 cm) ( 11.7 x 16.5 inches) unframed
Price – £639 ($814US) plus package and postage
Prints – £40 plus £10 p n p for UK for next day delivery, ($50US plus package and postage)
DM to purchase
Sarah Life Model, Womens Health Series 2023
Thank you very kindly to @life_model_sarah for the wonderful collaboration. Here is Sarah’s story in her own words
“In mid October I went for a routine hernia repair. A week later the wound burst and I had to go back to theatre. They started me on IV antibiotics cleaned the wound and fitted a negative pressure pump to keep the would clean and dry and help it heal quickly. 5 weeks later I’m almost at the end of the healing journey I hope.
The thing is this time of year is always really tough. My first breakdown in 2004 happened this very week on the anniverary of loosing my youngest sister (15th November) In the 19 years since then my mental health has been up and down. I’ve had two lots of intensive group therapy, some counselling and figured what helps and hinders my mental health.
I’ve been stable for the last 5 years. Modeling for art classes has been a big part of my stability.
The combination of pain from surgery, being isolated due to recovery at home and difficult anniversary and not being able to model for now means I’m worried, having lost the things I use to help my mental health….
Sarah
I’m worried, having lost the things I use to help my mental health I may struggle to remain stable. “
Materials – Watercolour and pencil crayon, A3 – (29.7 x 42 cm) (11.7 x 16.5 inches) unframed
Price – £639 ($814US) plus package and postage
Prints available – £40 ($50US) plus package and postage
DM to purchase
SOLD
Suzann Kundi 2023, Women’s Health Series
Thank you very kindly for this wonderful collaboration with Suzann Kundi Artist and Educator
This is Suzann’s story in her own words –
“My name is Suzann Kundi, an artist and educator originally from London but now living in Barcelona.
My medical condition ‘H.S.’ – Hidradenitis Suppuritva, started when I was 8 years old, but it would take until the age of 20 for it to be diagnosed, starting a long journey of experimentation with different medications and multiple operations. HS is an autoimmune condition, which causes lumps (boils) in the sweat glands that tunnel and cause deep scars that over time restrict your movement, causing you agonising pain. HS not only affects you physically but mentally too; making you deal with your body being infected, having ugly scars and can get to a point where brushing your hair is impossible.
I have spent most of my life being misdiagnosed, often being treated like it was self-inflicted and only being listened to when I could not walk, lift my arms and my self-esteem nonexistent. The wonder and self-discovery of becoming a woman and exploring my sexuality was an impossibility as my body only taught me about pain and shame.
As time moved forward and after many operations, finding my soulmate and taking the right medication, I discovered life and was able to explore my love for my own art and teach my techniques to the next generation.
My aim in my art practice is to highlight medical conditions and disabilities, giving a voice to those ignored or unheard…to use my art style to capture them. In my latest series of works entitled ‘Look this way’, their stories and images will be exhibited in galleries and eventually collated into a book.
I consider myself lucky that I now have a balance, but it will not always be, and I will need to adapt and change as I get older when I begin the next chapter of my life, menopause. However, I do not walk this path alone and with every step my hand is held by my husband and the supportive friends I have around me. “
Materials – watercolour on watercolour paper with gold ink (22.9 x 30.5 cm) unframed
Price – £481 ($615US) plus package and postage
DM to purchase
Erin Mungall-Balvinsdottir 2024
Thank you very kindly to Erin for this wonderful collaboration and also thank you to Ursa Bavcar whose photograph I used for the background from free to use site, Unsplash
Here is Erin’s story in her own words – transcribed by me from audio
“I live in Edinburgh, Scotland. I have 2 occupations, as a behavioural scientist in public health and as a singer, songwriter and flute player. I perform original songs that I write and sing contemporary songs in Icelandic, Finnish and the Sami languages from the Nordic countries When I was a music student I studied folk music in Finland, did my First Masters dissertation research on music and performers who use music as a way of contesting negative social stereotypes. I learnt a lot about Icelandic music and a lot about folk music, classical music and popular music
My wellbeing and health during my lifetime can only be described as disastrous but having things I loved to do makes a huge difference.
When I was a child I had a haemorrhaging kidney, spent time in hospital and missed a lot of primary school. At 12 I was hit by a car on a zebra crossing, and fractured my femur and got a rare healing complication called Avascular necrosis.
I had to give up all physical activity including playing the cello, I lived with chronic pain. I saw child psychologists to analyse the psychological impact of my accident. They all told me I had skills in analysis so Ive been very lucky to pursue graduate education in Behavioural Science. I was excluded from a lot of social activities as a teenager or if I was included it was in an awkward way, having to sit with the handbags, whilst my friends danced!
When I was 19 I had my right hip replaced and was able to walk on both legs. Not very far and not very well, it did amazing things for my pain levels.
When I was 27 my hip replacement failed because the prosthesis itself was a faulty hip piece from the factory, so had a second one done.
I was a child carer to my Dad who had 2 brain haemorrhages before I was 18. In my mid 30s I got a diagnosis of PTSD. It took me until I was 46 to get treated with EMDR such are the lengths of NHS waiting lists! And its changed my life! Its been a year, but having that treatment has given me a fresh start mentally, Knowing that I have a huge level of resilience.
When I was 42 I was diagnosed as dyslexic and dyspraxic and had a difficult relationship with spelling and short term working memory all my life. But managed to pursue my 2 great loves, music and Behavioural Research. Got my PHD at the University of Oxford at the age of 35, and went to live in USA and write and research my first book on urban design and building cities that reinforce social networks and cohesive relationships between people of different backgrounds and psychological resilience in the event of climate change
When I came back to the UK I spent a year and a half in Australia and then took another masters from a university in Australia but remotely, in Public Health and Behavioural Analysis. I love the work Ive been doing in communities in the last 13 years. It’s a privilege to know how to understand health in society and the social and environmental drivers of poor health and good health.
When I was 45 I had a stroke. The cause of was a genetic abnormality or chronic disease of the arteries, Which makes me more prone to blockages, , aneurysm, bleeds, anything where there is too much pressure on my arteries, so this is what caused my stroke. It is an illness called fibromuscular Dysplasia. Im very lucky to have escaped with my life but I live with chronic fatigue like someone with ME and I have reduced concentration and my short term memory is even worse than normal.
So Ive had to live a very different life since the stroke 22 months ago and Im not working, but I have been using the time to write a lot of songs about my experiences and whats changed and how its impacted my relationships. We had a gig here in Edinburgh on the 11th December where these songs were given their premier airing. The audience feedback was very positive
Whilst I do feel disadvantaged in life by all the challenges to my health, I also feel very lucky that I am naturally empathetic but am even more empathetic to other people with disabilities and try to understand how they feel and I have the most wonderful collection of friend who are truly kind and giving and understanding and all have their own challenges, whether It be disabilities, dealing with refugee status, dealing with different sexuality etc and all helps to enrich each others lives through understanding.
Materials – Watercolour (30.5 x 40.6 cm) (12 x 16 inches) unframed.
Price – £639 ($814US) plus package and postage
Prints available for £40 plus package and postage
DM to purchase
SOLD
Title – Jane Greenham Mental Health Series 2024
Thank you very kindly to Jane Jane Greenhamfor the fabulous collaboration and wonderful photograph – here is Jane’s story in her own words
“Hi, Im Jane. I’m a 44 year old care worker, but plenty more besides! I am mama to an amazing adopted 9 year old and wife to a very patient woman. Married 12 years and together 24 years since university. These two humans are two of the best things that ever happened in my life.
We share our home with two rescue dogs from Spain. Aggie in the picture is my heart dog.
I describe myself as a functioning depressive as depression has been with me since I was a teenager. I have anhedonia, which means there are days/weeks that I don’t find joy in anything much. It’s exhausting and I’m very good at masking it. I’ve learned to live alongside it, but recently it’s been kicking my bum on an almost daily basis. Not giving up and finding glimmers of hope in the darkness is how I try to live.
I’ve recently started making art, something I find really therapeutic and I love life drawing. I’ve started cycling last year too and that gives me energy. My family and good friends mean everything to me and keep me going.
I embrace my weirdness as I get older, and all the things that make my weird heart happy. I’d encourage everyone else embrace their weirdness and difference. I’m hoping to live well into my old age and be an eccentric older woman, no matter what gets thrown at me.”
Materials – watercolour and pencil crayon 22.9 x 30.5 cm
Title – Donna Doyle, Women’s Health Series 2024
Thank you very kindly to Donna for this wonderful collaboration – and here is Donna’s story. Donna Doyle
“My name is Donna I’m 44 and suffer from chronic illness, Primarily Ehlers Danlos syndrome which is a connective tissue disorder.
The issue is that my body produces faulty collagen, so unfortunately a supplement wouldn’t help as it would just encourage my body to produce further faulty collagen.
Due to this my joints sublux easily and go through consistent mini traumas leading to fibromyalgia flares which cause pain, brain fog and with chronic fatigue.
Other connected illnesses are Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (increased heart rate on standing causing dizziness and possible fainting) and digestive issues.
Diagnosis for me although devastating was also a huge relief ! As I had struggled silently throughout my life until that point. Whenever I had shared my struggles previously, I was often told I was making a fuss or being lazy. So I learned to just get on with things!
Around 10yrs after diagnosis I realised there was still a piece of the puzzle missing, I felt I understood things differently to others and struggled in certain situations. My therapist suggested that I may be autistic! I had thought that myself too after reading the book “odd girl out”by Laura James. So I went for assessment and after a lengthy process was diagnosed in late 2020. Interestingly I also found out that a lot of people with EDS are in fact autistic!
This final diagnosis gave me even more relief and clarity. It helped me forgive myself for all the little quirks I’d tried to hide because I didn’t want anyone to think I was seeking attention (when in fact I was actually trying to blend in to the background)
My illnesses do have a big impact on my daily life, particularly my mobility. I use a stick to walk short distances and a motorized wheelchair over any longer distance.
But generally I’m happy, I have wonderful family and friends around me. And although it was hard to give up working, once I rediscovered my love for crafting, I found my time was quickly filled up.
It also allowed me to be around my kids whilst they were growing up and helped us foster a special bond as a family.
All in all, due a lot of self reflection and practicing gratitude. I’ve learned to embrace the positives of my situation and I am now truly my most authentic self x”
Materials – watercolour 22.9 x 30.5 cm (9 x 12 inches), Unframed
Price £481 plus P n P ($615US plus P n P)
Prints £30 plus P n P ($38US plus P n P)
DM to purchase
Bryony Moss, Women’s Health Series 2024 (and her wonderful dog Mango)
Thank you very kindly to Bryony Moss for this fabulous collaboration and the wonderful photograph to work from
Here is Bryony’s story in her own words – “My name is Bryony, I’m a 25-year-old living near London, UK. I have a disability called cerebral palsy, specifically right hemiplegia, a learning disability, and mental health conditions. My disability isn’t always visible, but it has shaped many aspects of my life.
Growing up was challenging as I faced relentless bullying in school, largely due to my disability. I struggled to make friends and endured both in-person and online harassment. These experiences left me feeling hurt and isolated.
However, amidst the difficulties, my pets have been a source of solace and strength. Animals have an incredible ability to see beyond our disabilities and love us unconditionally. They have provided me with a sense of purpose and acceptance. If I didn’t have my pets I’d be lost, pets really can be your best friends!”
Materials – Watercolour painting (22.9 x 30.5 cm) (9 x 12 inches) unframed
Price – £481 plus P n P ($615US) plus P n P
Prints available £30 plus P n P (£10 tracked in UK)
DM to purchase
Alison Black, Women’s Health Series, 2024
Here is Alison’s story in her Own words and thank you very kindly to Alison Black for this wonderful collaboration
“
I cross dressed before I switched gender, I then went public in dressing in female clothes, 2006 and 2007 then I decided to live as a woman around the same time. I then went to Gender identity clinic in Belfast. I then started hormone treatment 2008.
I went through a difficult time at the start as I was living in Coleraine, they would have known me as male then as female as a lot of people did not understand or accept me, so I was alienated allot of the time. I was accused of copying women, not being like as a woman, so I couldn’t win.
I had chosen my name as Alison many years before I switched gender basically at the start of cross dressing that started in mid-1990’s and progressed. At the time I would be told that it was wrong and people just didn’t understand how I felt, that due to abuse in my younger life that I wanted to switch gender from male to female. This for people to understand was difficult. I also chose my surname when I started to cross dress, black came from black patent handbags and then I chose Gloria in memory of her as my middle name. I changed my name by dipole in 2006 as I transitioned, which I was happy that I changed my name to Alison.
I experienced problems from I left Coleraine, but when I moved away to Belfast then life got easier for me, which I was happy with that. I found that women fell in love with me for being male but didn’t accept the female side, if they see me as female then things would work out in the friendship, if they see me as male then it doesn’t work.
Being female lost old friendships but it also brought in new friendships with females, they saw my true self and see me as female. So everything balanced out in the end, so I am not lonely. A number of women said they did expect me to switch gender so it didn’t come as a surprise to them when I told them about the news. A few women left my life but others came into it through my transitioning, which was good for me, am happy with. Am being my true self and being me, being male isn’t me, which I would be depressed and low. There were times that I had to switch back to male but I wasn’t happy about that which was at the start of transitioning.
Materials – Watercolour (22.9 x 30.5 cm) (9 x 12 inches) unframed
Price – £481 plus P n P ($615US plus P n P)
Prints available for £30 Plus £10 for addition of gold ink by hand Plus P n P
Please DM to Purchase
Brooke Millhouse, 2024
Here is Brooke’s story in her own words. Thank you very kindly to Brooke for the fabulous collaboration
“Brooke is the dynamic creator and host of the popular Disabled and Proud podcast, a platform dedicated to amplifying the voices and experiences of the disabled community. A passionate advocate herself, Brooke has made it her mission to challenge societal norms and inspire change through open conversation and shared experiences.
With a deep interest in neuroscience and psychology, Brooke brings a unique perspective to her role as podcast host. Her empathetic approach and ability to connect with her guests have helped her create a safe space for meaningful dialogue about disability rights, inclusivity and empowerment. “
Materials – watercolour and pencil crayon, (29.7 x 42 cm) A3, unframed
Price – £639 ($814US) + P n P
Prints – £40 + P n P
DM to purchase
Cristina Fernandez , 2024
Here is Cristina’s story in her own words. Thank you very kindly to Cristina for the fabulous collaboration
“I would say that I live with psoriasis since I was a teenager. I’m 46 now, and this illness is completely in love with me, because it always came back, in spite of having undergone several treatments.
The ugly patches in my skin never made me feel really complexed. And if someone doesn’t like my appearance or feels offended by my skin, there is still so much to watch at around
But I have to admit that some days I get a bit down. Those days when my skin is especially painful or I discover a new patch.
Anyway I’m generally in good terms with this condition and I made up my mind about the fact that it will always stick around like a faithful lover.
I know that quite a lot of people hide their skin because of shame or fear of rejection. But I want to encourage everyone suffering the disease to never, never stop enjoying life.
I’m grateful that you read my words. I’m aware that not everybody is interested in the subject or even heard about psoriasis.”
Materials – watercolour and pencil crayon, (29.7 x 42 cm) A3, unframed
Price – £639 ($814US) + P n P
Prints – £40 + P n P
DM to purchase
Karen Burns – 2024
Thank you very kindly to Karen Burns for this fabulous collaboration
Here is Karen’s poem
“Karen’s Story”
They say I am in the prime of my life,
So why’s it that I struggle and strife?
Instead of having fun, and kicking back,
Daily pains a reminder of what I lack.
At times I feel younger in my mind,
Yet my body’s ageing in ways unkind.
I pinch myself to remember who I am,
As society seems like they don’t give a damn.
Holding on to the days that made me proud,
Singing my achievements ever loud.
Whilst this doesn’t make me better you see,
I discovered myself, found a hidden part of me.
And though my pains will never go away,
I hope to understand their cause one day.
This hope is what keeps me grounded,
In a chaotic world, in which I’m dumbfounded.
Materials – Watercolour and Gouache, size (22.9 x 30.5 cm) unframed
Price – £481 + P n P ($615US + P n P)
Prints – £30 + P n P
DM to purchase
Keeley Robinson – 2024
Thank you very kindly to Keeley Robinson for this fabulous collaboration and here is Keeley’s story in her own words.
“About Me
It is never easy describing oneself. It is never a comfortable place for me as there is the self i keep to myself, the one i live with every day and the one that I allow others see. I guess that is why I have agreed to be drawn as I am always fascinated in how others see me.
So, let’s start with my name. My name is Keeley, I am a 41-year-old full time disabled artist based here in North Wales but originally from the Wirral. I moved here with my partner seven years ago. I have three dogs, four budgies and tropical fish.
I don’t have many friends, but I regard myself as a bloody good one. I have a huge heart which is filled with love, joy, marvel, darkness, tragedy, trauma and sadness. I have lost many people in my life through death, chronic illness, mental health and cruelty.
I hate people seeing me as a victim, I do not like to be vulnerable and being a people pleaser has at times lead to my downfall, but I am not bitter. I have a lot of time for people, and I am always happy to listen and often others cannot wait to tell me their life story.
I would describe myself as an introverted extrovert, a colourful creature that feels neither male nor female but identifies as female. I see myself as a bohemian punk if there is such a thing, my looks change with my mood, I love make- up and alternative fashion. I like to stand out in a crowd, I like to feel seen.
I love animals and the natural world. I am happiest hanging out with my dogs, I prefer them to people. I feel very lucky that most days I spend going to the beach with my doggy family, monitoring the sea life, the birds, paddling in the sea on warmer days and returning home to my artwork. My art is my life. The only place I find respite from my brain and pain.
I lead a simple life, I cannot have children, I have accepted this along with lots of other curb balls life has given me. I think that not having children has enabled me to have creative freedom which I am grateful for and kept me young at heart as most of the time I ask myself when I am going to grow up. And the answer is always never as I smile to myself, light a nag Champa incense and make myself a lovely big mug of decaffeinated tea with two sugars”
Materials – Watercolour and pencil crayon , size (22.9 x 30.5 cm) unframed
Price – £481 + P n P ($615US + P n P)
Prints – £30 + P n P
DM to purchase
Kate Cavill – 2024
Thank you very kindly to Kate Cavill for this fabulous collaboration and here is Kate’s story in her own words.
“My name is Kate. I have Osteogenesis Imperfecta (Brittle Bones) Type 3. I’m of short stature and use a powered wheelchair to get around.
They say life begins at 40 but my slow and gradual climb really began a decade earlier. I had lost a lot of confidence over the years due to my various injuries and the deformities I have been left with. I’d largely stopped amateur performing and singing in choirs, something I’d always loved but now felt inadequate in. I’d quite uni for the same reason. And then 30 loomed! And I thought to myself, ‘you have to work on changing these feeling because you really aren’t getting enough out of life right now.’ I won’t go into the ‘how’ as that’s a long story but I gradually built myself back up, with support and love from others, particularly my mum. I finished uni (albeit at a different uni from the one I had attended years earlier), got my degree, and then the next challenge sprung up. My family moved away from London to Colchester, and not wanting to be left behind alone, I went too. Big mistake? I thought it was at the time. I’d already decided once I had finished my Literature degree, the next thing I wanted to work towards was performing again. And weirdly enough, that started to happen in North Essex. I auditioned for the ensemble in a 2019 amateur production of ‘Oliver!’ and got cast, followed by some soloing in some concerts and last year I got to play Gingy the Gingerbread Man in ‘Shrek The Musical’ in 2023. I’ve taken quite a few acting and writing workshops and acting classes since coming to Colchester, and I’ve just landed my first professional acting gig (ironically) in London, 4 months before I hit 40. I tell people when we talk openly about my disability: I can’t say I love myself now, and I’m not sure I’d want to, but I’m at peace with who I am and how I look. And I think, as you age, you realise there are as many kinds of ‘beautiful’ in this world as there are people!”
Materials – Watercolour and pencil crayon , size (22.9 x 30.5 cm) unframed
Price – £481 + P n P ($615US + P n P)
Prints – £30 + P n P
DM to purchase
Title – Donna Mackenzie-Smyth, Women’s Health Series 2024
Thank you most kindly to Donna Mackenzie-Smyth for this wonderful collaboration
Here is Donna’s Story in her own words -dictated to me and typed by me.
“In May 2016 I had a stroke 3 days before my 51st birthday which had a really big impact on my life and I had my brain scan they relised ide had a previous stroke a couple of weeks earlier. I was really fit and healthy I weighed 8 stone, everything was in the right place, boobs, pelvic floor all working. Ive always worked in the beauty industry but I was also working in my husbands recording studio. So when I had my stroke they always try and find out what caused it. Which is like a barrage of quite invasive tests. So I had a test to see if I had a hole in my heart due to links with strokes in younger people. One of the procedures they do is where they pop a camera down your throat to look at the physiology of your heart. They also inject you with air bubbles to see whether any of the air bubbles will pass through the hole and up to the brain.
My results had shown that I had a left to right shunt so the dirty blood that hadn’t been filtered was passing through the hole in my heart.
I also had lots of blood work done which in turn found I had a clotting disorder called Factor 5 Lieden this has the opposite effect of heamophilia so it’s a thrombophilia. I was born with both these conditions but had no idea.
My stroke impacted my left side, putting all the pieces together the neurology team realised that Ide had previous TIAs . I spent a lot of time going in and out of hospital. I had quite a few TIA’s post stroke plus a whole regime of new medication. During my ongoing recovery I decided to invest my time in stroke awareness I became a volunteer for the Stroke Association and I gave talks and informative lectures on new Stroke survivors and also through the Hallam University to training occupational therapists. I volunteered to be the social media volunteer for the stroke association so I gave interviews on radio Sheffield, Heart Radio but my recovery had come to a bit of a standstill. My Ots and physiotherapists had invested so much time in my recovery but Ide realised that this was having a negative impact on my mental health. My diary was full of appts such as physio, OT that I didn’t have time to recover and accept the new me.
The Stroke Association ran an art group and Ide not painted since I was about 15 at school and I was very apprehensive to go, but knew that the people who were attending were my new friends and we were all in the same boat. So picking up that brush I was so fearful, but the minute I did it opened this whole part of me that was my creative side, it was like taking a lid off a tin and everything came out on this piece of paper and I found myself using scrumped up tissue in the paint and my first picture I really blew myself away when I saw it.
Jumping on a few years in 2022 I realised my body had changed through disease and menopause. I was inspired to facilitate other women’s menopause journeys to express themselves through photography.
January 2023 I exhibited 12 images expressing each woman’s feelings about their own menopause at the Showroom Work Station in Sheffield.
In March 2025 I will be adding a more personal touch to this exhibition expressing my own journey by creating an exhibition called “Scrapheap – Finding Resilience” “
Materials – watercolour 22.9 x 30.5 cm unframed
Price £481 ($615US) plus P n P
Prints available for £40 plus P n P
DM to purchase
Title – Kirsty Williams, Women’s Health Series 2024
Thank you very kindly to Kirsty for this fabulous collaboration.
Here is Kirsty’s story in her own words –
“I always had a zest for life. A need to make the most of every single day knowing that life is short and can be taken away at any moment. I had always known I had a problem with my legs. The pain, the inability to identify with anyone else. The complete and absolute inability to change the shape or size. The lipoedema on its own I could cope with. But over time I found myself more and more fatigued with strange symptoms. It got to a stage where I couldn’t get out of bed. Couldn’t dress myself. Couldn’t wash myself. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and it has turned my entire life upside down. Life has become much smaller. Much smaller. Value comes from the tiniest of wins. Instead of being fast paced life has slowed right down. It’s now all about pace. Pace, pace, pace. We move….. but coffee first.”
Materials – watercolour and pencil crayon (22.9 x 30.5 cm) unframed
Price – £481 ($615) plus package and postage
Prints – £30 plus package and postage
DM to purchase
Title – Sarah – Sava Wellness – Women’s Health Series 2024
Thank you very kindly to Sarah for this fabulous collaboration
This is Sarah’s story in her own words –
“My name is Sarah 
My hobbies include reading (my favourite!), taking walks in nature (I am fortunate to live close to the Rocky Mountains), blogging about chronic illness/disability, and getting dressed up.
Reading is very important to me because it gives me escape and in certain books allows me to learn different things and perspectives.
When I say I enjoy getting dressed up I mean putting on a fancy dress and high heels and going somewhere nice. I can’t always do this, but when I can it makes me feel beautiful and empowered. I feel like putting on fancy clothes is like my armour, I can look “normal” and if people look at me it is because I look nice and not because they are trying to figure out if I “look sick”. I feel almost unstoppable in a beautiful dress.
At home I have day and night pjs, which with a cup of tea makes reading a wonderful experience and helps pass the days!
My favourite artist is Trisha Romance, a Canadian!
I have had chronic illness for all of my life but did not start to be diagnosed until 2017. Currently I have Lyme disease with its many co-infections and many other conditions that go along with it such as debilitating chronic fatigue.
I started a business called Sava Wellness to bring awareness to chronic illness and disability.
Sava Wellness is a chronic illness support business where people with chronic illnesses and people with visible and invisible disabilities can come to be supported. We offer virtual one-on-one appointments to provide support and strategies for navigating chronic illness and disabilities. I also doing speaking engagements to bring awareness!”
Materials – Watercolour, gouache, fine liner and pencil crayon on watercolour paper size (30.5 x 40.6 cm) unframed
Price – £639 ($814) plus package and postage
Prints – £40 plus package and postage
DM to purchase
Title – Gill Singh, Women’s Health Series 2024
Thank you most kindly to Gill Singh for this fabulous collaboration
Here is Gill’s story in her own words
“Not many people seem to know about Spina Bifida or have even heard of it, but I was born with it – the 3rd of 4 girls – why was I the one to have it? During my early years it didn’t faze me, I was much more mobile back then, winning running races, swimming at every opportunity, participating in sports day at my ‘special’ school. In later life I trained to run my own pub, which I did successfully for over 12 years putting in thousands of shifts behind the bar, doing all the cooking & being a most excellent, if slightly wobbly, landlady.
But with age, illnesses become worse and new ones pop up out of nowhere & scare the be-jesus out of you. You find yourself with a choice – to give in or embrace the things you can still do, remembering fondly the things which are now unfortunately in the past.
Despite all the surgery, pain & tears I have always considered myself to have been as lucky as the next woman, fabulously disabled or not. Disability gave me a strength to be fiercely independent I think I wouldn’t have had without it. It’s made me grab at opportunities when they come, to speak up in rooms full of able-bodied people, to not be hidden for being different. I’ve loved & lost like the rest of us, married, travelled abroad & at home, driven a gazillion miles, had numerous adventures and gained a 3rd kidney.
What more lies ahead as age & my body plot against me? More of the same, please, more of the same!”
Materials – watercolour painting on 22.9 x 30.5 cm watercolour paper
Price – £481 Plus P & P ($615 plus shipping)
Prints – £30 plus P & P
DM to purchase
Title – Dolly Sen, 2024
Thank you very kindly to Dolly for this fabulous collaboration,
Here is Dolly’s story in her own words
My name is Dolly Sen. I grew up with a Deaf mum, along with my siblings, and saw how little access or justice my mum had to the world. I also had an abusive dad. Where could a Deaf woman experiencing domestic violence go for help. Myself and my sister were taken into care for short times when we were quite young, not only because my father was violent but also because my mother was Deaf. She was too scared to go to social services for help. I was learning to play hula hoop with concentric rings of bullshit and injustice.
When I was 14, I had my first psychotic episode. I thought demons were chasing me so stopped going to school. A child psychiatrist told me to pull my socks up and go back to school. I didn’t, I couldn’t. I more or less spent the next 15 years in my bedroom, too scared to move for most of it. At 30 I decided to brave the world and be part of it. Being labelled mad pushed me to the side-lines of the world but creativity gave me life back. I wrote poems about loneliness to feel less lonely, then I wrote a book, then a script, then became a filmmaker and a performer. Visual art followed. Now my work is internationally known and I know I am a courage teacher for others who have had similar lives.
Getting older, I now have physical health conditions to contend with. More recently I’ve experienced hearing loss, which gives me more barriers to contend with. I have come to the awareness that what most ‘normal’ people know about disability is crap, which helps institutional monsters like the DWP cause pain for disabled people.
So one of the art interventions I have created is ‘Sectioning’ the DWP. I have also tripadvisored a psychiatric hospital, visited California’s Death Row, dispensed an Apocalypse Loyalty Card, worn a wandering womb with a clitoris hat to examine misogyny in medicine, turned fanny prints into a Rorschach test, given Alexa a mental state examination, created Bedlamb, made films about the lived experience of psychosis, galvanised people to Help the Normals, sold nothing on Ebay.
Basically, I want to disrupt systems that produce that programming called oppression, not through trojan horse viruses but with my little ponies on acid with a little sadness in their hearts.
www.dollysen.com
Materials – Watercolour 30.5 x 40.6 cm unframed
Price – £639 + P n P
Prints – £40 +P n P
DM to purchase
Title – Fiona Morrison, 2024
Thank you very kindly to Fiona for this fabulous collaboration. Here is Fiona’s story in her own words.
Trigger warning for Domestic abuse and sexual assault
“If over the year has taught me anything I have a lot of fight in me. I’ve battled pneumonia as well as been battling with PTSD , BPD, sciatica flare ups, scoliosis and IBS. I have a body where it feels like its at war with me at times.
Even when I was younger I knew something wasn’t right with my highs , my lows and felt like there was times the world was technicoloured. I’ve always seen things differently and I could clash with people which made socialising difficult. I ended up falling down the rabbit hole.
4 years ago, I left a severe domestic abusive relationship.
It wasn’t all physical he played with my mind to the point I was drained out and trapped mentally as well as physically. I lost my confidence and started doubting myself. The snake would burn me right out and play with my mind until I gave in too sex. He would make me choose between an intense nip or a heavy punch. If I didn’t chose right away he would echo on and nip repeatedly. He always knew where to punch no one would know. Sometimes he would punch in the same place over and over until I bruised really badly. At times he would cover my mouth and restrain me with his free hand and try and suffocate me. Again and again I was sexually assaulted throughout the relationship. It was all a game to him.
This is only a glimpse of the abuse I suffered at the hands of him. Even with what he did get done with he got off far too lightly .
I am on my way following my dreams and building the best life for my children. I know now I am on the right path. Yes, there isn’t a way off this rollercoaster but I’ve got the strength in myself to keep going.
I am only going up now even when the ground gets rough. What a turnaround it is from that girl who would be so shy to speak up as she felt like she was stuck in some sort of mental prison to the girl I’ve become now who sometimes lets her tongue run away from her.
I am a survivor with a creative streak determined too one day inspire others. There is a light.
I love visual art, as it helps me heal and can help so many others and my inspiration also comes from my children.”
Materials – watercolour and pencil crayon (22.9 x 30.5 cm) unframed
Price – £481 + P n P ($615 + shipping)
Prints – £30 + P n P
DM to Purchase
Miranda Littlewood 2024
Thank you very kindly to Miranda for this fabulous collaboration
Here is Miranda’s story in her own words –
“I’m Miranda 31 born with a limb difference and grew up mostly in London. When I reached teenage years I hated my body and who I was and turned to drugs. Luckily in my early 20’s I discovered meditation and booked a flight to India where I lived for 4 years. It was here I fell in love with yoga, and had my son. I now run a company called Kismattu where I teach yoga for self love and have a clothing line with adaptions for limb differences.”
Materials – watercolour and pencil crayon (22.9 x 30.5 cm) unframed
Price – £481 + P n P ($615 + shipping)
Giclee Prints – £30 + PnP
DM to purchase
Title – Jennifer Dunstan, 2024
Thank you very kindly to Jennifer for the awesome reference photograph and for putting so much of yourself into it
Here is Jennifer’s story in her own words
“Bipolar, Bisexual and Biodegradable.
My name is Jen and I’m 44. I have a 22 year old daughter called Niamh, a 13 year old son called Rio and a Grandson who was born December 2023. He’s called Lorenzo! They’re such a sassy bunch and I love them all endlessly.
I suppose, looking back, I’ve always been Disabled. I just didn’t know that I was. Not initially…I have been HoH (Hard of hearing) since I was tiny. I only recently started to use hearing aids.
I was labelled a precocious child by some, but was a genuinely a very smart little lass who had a happy childhood in the main. I could read at an adult level by age 7-8 and was always at the top of every set for Academic subjects. I always enjoyed reading, movies, musicals and singing – as well as playing adventure games with my best friend Maxine.
Things changed for me when I hit my early teens when, after feeling in with the wrong crowd and self harming quite seriously, I was taken to Drs by my parents and diagnosed with Bipolar Affective Disorder. I was about 14-15. I was permanently excluded from Catholic school. They didn’t attempt to support me, they just didn’t want me to be their problem.
My teens and early twenties are all a bit of a blur. Drugs, solvents and alcohol abuse were the norm. It was the 90s after all and the era of the Ladette! Partying away, beating boys at arm wrestling etc and not caring one bit if I lived or died from one day to the next.
When I had my daughter at age 22, I stopped doing all drugs and even stopped both smoking and drinking caffeine when I was pregnant. If anyone could’ve told teenage me that I would one day give birth to my best friend I’m sure I would have taken a lot of comfort from that.
I have often felt so lonely in crowded rooms and so devastatingly empty in the arms of strangers. Having this type of Bipolar is exhausting and very hard work. I fight to keep a monster caged. Every second, of every day. I’m protecting myself and the people around me from the dark that lurks within me, the dark that I can always hear even when you can’t see any sign of it.
In later life, I was diagnosed as Autistic- the type that was once called Asperger’s, but we don’t use that term any more. I love to learn general knowledge and quirky facts; I have a special interest in Frida Kahlo as an Artist but also as a woman. I’m learning Spanish with an app called Duolingo, I have a dream to go to Mexico to visit the house that Frida lived in. I will go one day, even if I’m 88! She once was told not to attend her own art exhibition and to stay in bed on Drs orders, so, she got dressed up to the nines and had helpers carry her bed to the gallery “I have not left my bed Doctor!” She exclaimed upon arriving! I love that about her. I love how fiery her passion was, how honest she was about her feelings and views, even when they broke her heart to share them. Most of all I love that she didn’t take no for an answer in so many ways.
No door should ever be closed to us because we are Disabled, or, because we are women.
As for me, living with PTSD and associated trauma due to Domestic Abuse has seen me lumped with M.E. and Fibromyalgia.
So I’m all wonky, inside and out. I don’t hate it. I don’t love it. I have no choice but to accept it.
My life has had lots of happy and joyful instances, not least of all the births of my two fabulous children and to cap it all off, becoming ‘Nanny Jen’ when Enzo was born in ‘23. When I first looked into his little face I knew for certain that nothing could ever hurt me again and just kissing his soft little baby cheeks mended the holes in my heart that had been created in the past by such cruelty of others.
For one day, I get to be as colourful and as beautiful as Frida, even just in my own head. I yearn to love as deeply as Frida did ….and do you know what? I think I do. I know I do.
PS I am still best friends with Maxine! She’s my little dandelion clock.
Favourite Frida quote: ‘Te amo mas que mi piel.’
Translation: ‘I love you more than my skin.’
Materials – watercolour, gouache and pencil crayon (30.5 x 40.6 cm) unframed
Price – £639 + P n P
Prints – £40 +P n P
DM to purchase
Title – Hannah Madden, 2024
Thank you very kindly for Hannah for this wonderful collaboration
Here is Hannah’s story in her own words
Hi there. I’m Hannah Madden. I’m 24 years old and believe it or not, I’m Autistic. I don’t really consider that to be a disability, but the rest of the world seems to disagree with me for some reason. Then again, the neurotypical world and me have never got along in regards to just about everything. We’re basically an unhappily married couple. We argue over something utterly pointless, then ignore each other for long periods, before I make an effort to reengage and rekindle our relationship, which ends up not working out because when I ask what’s wrong, the answer always seems to be “you’re not trying hard enough to be a neurotypical person.” Which starts another fight, and the whole cycle begins again. What I wouldn’t give to be able to file for a divorce.
Sadly, I’m no more capable of getting out of this unwanted marriage than anyone else, so much of my life has consisted of waiting for things to get better. Waiting for people to give me a chance and take me on as an employee, waiting for people to make an effort to get to know me as a friend, waiting for people to come along who’ll give me a straight answer and won’t leave me guessing or try to trick me, and most importantly, waiting for the world to stop telling me to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes and to take a little walk around in mine for a change. I’m still waiting for all of those things. And there’s a very frightening possibility that I’ll be left waiting for the rest of my life. So I try to hang onto the things that make me happy – movies, music (Ludovico Einaudi is my favourite), books, comics and writing. They’ve given me joy and comfort when I’ve needed it most, and stories have provided me with a greater connection with humanity than real humans ever could have. Part of the reason for this is because of the sheer volume of Autistic coded characters in books and films, and in comic books that volume is even greater (seriously, I reckon at least a quarter of all creators are neurodivergent given how much Autistic coding there is in comics and manga). However, as wonderful as it is to find people I relate to in fiction, the Autistic part is rarely addressed directly, either by accident or on purpose. It’s why my greatest wish is to try and fix that a little and write a great story for Autistic people everywhere – one where we’re proud, strong, and (most importantly) NOT hidden away in code. Because true comfort comes from being truly seen. And maybe if that happens enough in fiction and other forms of art, it’ll start happening in the real world too, which will hopefully fewer unhappy marriages for all of us. Fingers crossed, eh?
Materials – Watercolour and gouache (22.9 x 30.5 cm) unframed
Price – £481 ($615) + P n P
Prints – £10 + P n P
DM to purchase