The Resilient Canvas: From Brokenness to NYC ART Show?!
April 5, 2025 – NYC Art Show Featuring the Resilient Power of Chronic Illness
If you had told me in 2023 that my art would be featured in an NYC exhibition, I would’ve laughed—then probably fainted. At the time, I was severely ill, battling my chronic autoimmune disease with barely enough strength to sit upright. My days were measured in pain levels and prescription refills, not brushstrokes and gallery spaces. But somewhere in the mess—between the doctor’s visits, the unrelenting fatigue, and the daily grappling with my own body—I picked up a paintbrush. Not out of inspiration. Out of desperation.
And somehow, through that haze of suffering, art became my rebellion. On April 5, 2025, at Tyler Loftis Studio (102 Franklin Street, Floor 2, New York, NY 10013), I’ll be standing alongside fellow artists because the Autoimmune Alliance a non profit dedicated to advocating for the disabled, decided to create space for us, showcasing the beauty, strength, and resilience of people living with chronic illness. Because we may be cracked, but we’re still golden. Tickets to the show are found here on Eventbrite
How Art Became My Medicine
In 2023, my body was falling apart, but my creativity refused to. I turned to painting, not as a hobby but as survival. When Friedrich Nietzsche wrote, “One must still have chaos in oneself to give birth to a dancing star,” he might as well have been talking about the creative defiance of chronic illness. The pain that fractured me also cracked me wide open, making room for creativity to pour in.
The Brain’s Creative Rebellion Against Pain
I wasn’t imagining it—science backs it up. According to a 2018 study in Frontiers in Psychology, chronic pain can enhance divergent thinking—the ability to generate creative solutions (Baas et al., 2018). It’s the brain’s way of rebelling against suffering, forging new neural pathways that expand creative cognition. Painting didn’t cure my illness, but it transformed my relationship with it.
Featured Artworks: Turning Pain Into Power
At the NYC show, I’ll be displaying six deeply personal pieces, each one telling a story of suffering, resilience, and hope. They’re not just paintings—they’re visual manifestations of what it means to live with chronic illness.
Original art By Casey Howell
1. "Masking of Pain" – The Art of Pretending You’re Fine
I became a master of disguise. Outwardly, I was composed, smiling through appointments, joking through treatments. Inside? I was breaking. "Masking of Pain" captures that deception.
Philosophical connection: Inspired by Jean-Paul Sartre’s concept of bad faith, the painting reflects the tension between authentic suffering and social performance. Because when you live with chronic illness, lying about how you feel becomes second nature.
Original artwork by Casey Howell
2. "POTS: Grounded by Salt”
For those unfamiliar with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), salt isn’t just a condiment—it’s a lifeline. It causes fainting constantly, leaving feelings of your body betraying you every time these spoonies stand up. It helps to stabilize blood pressure and them grounded.
Scientific reference: According to the Mayo Clinic, increasing salt intake is a standard treatment to prevent fainting and improve circulation for POTS patients (Mayo Clinic, 2023).
Message: The salt in the painting is both literal and metaphorical—a symbol of hope that sustains, even when the body fails.
Original artwork by Casey Howell
3. "Kintsugi: Broken Beauty" – The Gold That Holds Us Together
Many days I feel like I am falling apart, then 2024 was the year I learned to live in the fractures. This piece is inspired by the Japanese art of Kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired with gold. The result? The imperfections make it more beautiful.
Philosophical connection: The painting embodies wabi-sabi, the Japanese worldview that flaws and scars add to beauty. It’s a visual manifesto that broken doesn’t mean ruined.
Psychological impact: Research shows that engaging in creative activities helps patients with chronic illness reframe their pain, fostering emotional resilience (Stuckey & Nobel, 2010).
Original artwork by Casey Howell
4. "RA Warrior: Bent Fingers Still Fight" – Defiant Hands
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) doesn’t just bend your fingers—it tries to break your spirit. This piece captures the defiance of living with a disease that attempts to disfigure, but can’t steal your soul.
Advocacy message: The fight for equitable treatment and visibility for autoimmune diseases is ongoing.
Scientific reference: According to Zhao et al. (2020) in Arthritis Research & Therapy, RA patients frequently experience emotional distress and loss of identity, making creative expression a form of emotional preservation.
Original Artwork by Casey Howell
5. "Not Skin Deep" – Psoriatic Arthritis Power of the Mind”
Psoriatic arthritis takes aim at both the body and the self-image, covering skin in plaques and causing joint pain and so much more. This painting reflects the mental resilience required to rise above the physical battle.
Psychological connection: A 2021 study in Clinical Rheumatology found that creative expression significantly reduces emotional distress in patients with psoriatic arthritis (Tillett et al., 2021).
Message: The mind can win battles the body loses.
Why This Show Matters: Art as Advocacy
By attending this exhibition, you’re not just looking at paintings—you’re witnessing resilience. You’re supporting:
Disability representation in the arts
Chronic illness advocacy through visual storytelling
Funding for autoimmune research and support services through the Autoimmune Alliance
Art That Fights Back
In 2023, my body was breaking, but my spirit refused to shatter. This show is more than an exhibition—it’s a reclamation of beauty, strength, and defiance. Come witness how pain becomes power—one brushstroke at a time.
Casey Howell RN, BSN.
