Everything Hurts (But I still want to paint)
An artist/designer's perspective on working with chronic pain
Content warning: frank discussion of health and pain issues below. May be triggering for some. At the bottom of this post is a list of products for artists/designers who are disabled or dealing with chronic pain; feel free to skip to the “recipe”, so to speak.
“Hi, my name is Carrie and I am in pain.” Some days my pain is so intense, so distracting that I feel as though I should introduce myself like this. If you talk to me at night the pain might come before my name, hello I am in pain.
I have stage 4 deep infiltrating endometriosis, a disease I recently learned that Marilyn Monroe also suffered from. There are lesions binding together my uterus, my ovaries, and my intestines into a frozen painful knot, penetrating deeply into my internal organs. I had surgery 2 years ago, and I was hospitalized briefly earlier this year, for what ended up being diverticulitis, which I had developed in addition to the endometriosis. It has not been a good few years for my health.
I have pain in my lower back and abdomen most of the time, my energy levels are low and quickly depleted, and especially since my hospitalization I hit my physical limits often and need to recover. I’ve had to develop strategies for working through the pain, and for continuing to create art and write music when I am drained. I’ve also found some products that work well for me, but often I just rework what I already have. It helps me to remember that there have always been artists who have worked through chronic pain and disability - Frida Kahlo made many of her paintings from bed.
Strategies and Advice for working while in pain
If you work from home, work from wherever is most comfortable and will cause the least amount of pain. I work in the office most of the time so I am limited on this but when I work from home I usually work from bed or a couch where I can recline. Make sure you don’t sit in a position where you’ll strain your neck. Desks or tables meant from working in bed can help - see the list below.
Take time to set up your workspace to be comfortable. Graphic designers may want to look into wrist supports. Maybe there is a back support that will help you sit better in your chair. If standing feels better than sitting, maybe you can get a standing desk or a monitor stand that rises so you can stand.
Try not to offer your physical help. If you’re like me, you may instinctively offer help even if doing a task might hurt you. This is something to watch for - breaking the habit I’m sure will take time (I am still catching myself doing this, and regretting it later).
Rest is vital. Set aside time for rest, and for joy-filled experiences with family and friends - and try not to feel guilty about it.
When working with other people be honest with those around you about how you’re feeling. I have learned the hard way that I am much more likely to overdo it if I don’t tell anyone that I’m dealing with a health issue.
Set time aside for your creative practice every day, but leave space for whatever that ends up looking like. Sometimes I have the energy to go outside and paint. Sometimes I might strum my uke or write a few lines of poetry or song lyrics. Sometimes I spend a few minutes in quiet observation, strengthening that artist’s vision.
When my creative battery feels really drained, because of work or whatever else, I have a few different things I can do that I know fill it up. One is watching other people paint - Bob Ross is classic of course, but I also love James Gurney, Sarah Burns, Cecile Yadro and Lena Rivo. It also feels really relaxing to me to play familiar music, like tunes by the Beatles.
Make it really easy to take a few minutes and create something. There is always a sketchbook and small drawing kit in my purse. I am forever taking voice memos with song ideas and updating song lyrics in the notes on my phone. I may not have the energy to do much, but I can do a little here and there and let it build up into something good.
Practice saying no to things. This is so hard, I know - buy it’s important not to strain yourself.
Being too sedentary can hurt too, so it’s important to try and take walks when you can. Just be gentle with yourself and don’t push past your limits.
Helpful Products for Artists and Designers with Chronic Pain
A desk or table that allows you to work from bed. I have a simple one like this, but this one on Etsy looks amazing. A C-style table that can be wheeled to move over the bed also works well, like this one from Article.
An easel that mounts to a tripod. These are meant for working outside but I use mine to be able to move around the house and change position depending on what my body feels like. Options:
I have converted a tabletop easel to mount to a tripod using this kit.
The Etchr slate satchel, which is a bag where the strap can support a drawing surface - or the bag can connect to a tripod. It’s hard to visualize (but you can see it in the image at the top of the post, and below is a picture of me using it on my lap). Worth checking out if you have the resources. It is a little expensive but nicely designed. It holds just enough for a short outing. Hard to overpack with this bag which is great - but you do need to plan and be sure you have what you need.
Something like this would allow you to use an ipad with a tripod, or to connect a clipboard to your tripod which makes a very simple easel.
One alternative to the tripod-mounted easel is the simple option of using your lap as a surface. In the below image you can see how I have set myself to work from a folding chair. My Etchr sketch satchel is on my right leg. It has a firm surface covered in a felt-like material that connects to velcro. It came with several velcro pieces for securing art supplies - I also use plant velcro with it, to hold down random things like my small spray bottle. On my left leg I have a palette made by Portable Painter. I love this palette and may very well buy another (this one is set up with gouache and sometimes I’d prefer to work with watercolor).
Cushion(s) for your desk chair. My coworker has one like this which looks amazing. Or a different style of desk chair - like these ones that let you sit cross legged. A word of caution - they don’t always have wheels. So if you want wheels just make sure you choose the right style.
Not art related but by all accounts shower stools are amazing.
For pain, a heating pad is great. An old fashioned hot water bottle can be nice so that you don’t need to rely a microwave or have anything plugged in.
If holding a paintbrush is difficult due to arthritis etc, egg-shaped paintbrushes can help.
This device lets you lean on it to help steady your hands if you have a tremor.
I hope this is helpful! Spoonies, did I miss anything?