Originally published February 2025

I used to be a sign painter, and I painted this business’s facade 7 years ago this week.

I got the flu soon before this, then a stomach virus after this. And that double hit gave me ME/CFS and progressed a bunch of other conditions that had been undiagnosed. I did a couple more projects after this and had to stop working.

I got so sick that I lost access to the creative part of my brain for 4 years. With some treatment, I got some of that back and am able to do illustration, thankfully. But my health has never recovered to my previous baseline. I have to spend a majority of my time reclined to ensure blood flow to my brain.

I work primarily digitally because it’s most accessible to me. I’m letting my forms and lettering and mark making become more loose over time to allow muscle weakness and spasms and exhaustion to become part of the art instead of fighting against it.

I don’t make art for fun.

Making art IS fun and fulfilling, especially when I couldn’t for so many years.

So, rather, I do make art for fun.

But I don’t sell my art just for fun. I sell my art because between my disabilities and my skills, it’s the only thing I have to offer.

My heart breaks so much for the artists- and anyone passionate about what they offer the world- who have ME and Long Covid who can’t do the work anymore. I hold the grief with you every day. I enormously enjoyed painting signs, and while I’ve come to terms with losing that, I still grieve.

I hope that if you have ME/LC/other conditions that are preventing you from doing work you love, that at some point you’re able to get that back or adapt it in some way. But until then, or if it never happens, know that it is YOU that is valuable and precious, not your work.

By the way, I do have a few pieces in my shop whose proceeds go to organizations focused on ME/CFS and Long Covid:

• Chronic Cards Greeting Cards

• Tea Party for M.E. Framed Print & Greeting Cards