2012 MSAA Art Showcase Entrants

View this month’s Artist of the Month

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Joi D. Hencey – Auroura, KS

Multiple Sclerosis has drastically changed my life, as I am sure it does for anyone who is diagnosed. However, not all changes have been negative in nature. Yes, there are daily symptoms. Often those symptoms are completely debilitating. There are the common struggles with working, finances and insurance. More importantly, before MS, I did not realize how easy it was to walk by the most beautiful things in the world without taking notice. I was unaware of how much time I spent in an office away from my growing daughter. I had no idea how much of life I was missing. Being diagnosed with MS at age 36, on April 8, 2010, was by no means a blessing. But the diagnosis did give me the answers I needed for the continual degradation in health. The diagnosis was the hard part…..now I can move forward.

Artwork is an escape from the daily struggles of living with MS. I experience a great deal of neuropathy, numbness, tingling, pain, sporadic hearing loss and random optic neuritis; therefore, I often have to wait for the symptoms to pass before drawing again. I draw anything I find beautiful….the subject matter of my artwork varies greatly. The majority of my work is drawn using chalk pencils on canvas. I draw in black and white as I often have difficulty seeing colors accurately. These three pieces represent change…..the ability to adapt, to grow and the willingness to continue moving forward.

 

Grazing
Grazing
 - Artwork

Running
Running
 - Artwork

The Track Less Traveled
The Track Less Traveled
 - Artwork