Chronic pain survivor Sarah Bigham turned her experiences as a patient with chronic pain into an artwork series, “Medical History Reimagined,” now on display at Chester County Hospital Foundation, a Penn Medicine campus.
“As a ‘healthcare consumer’ with an artistic bent, I have found it challenging to not only explain my pain to others, but to see my health history told in charts, lists, forms and electronic medical records,” said Sarah. “To me, being a chronic pain survivor and warrior encompasses color and narrative, and I have searched for ways to share my story of chronic pain, one shared by millions of people, in more expressive ways.”
Sarah created the artwork in this series by dissolving supplements, those she takes or has taken, and medications no longer needed, in water and using the resultant mixture to create her paintings. The resulting blend of muted colors conveys Sarah’s beautifully personal journey through chronic pain. In other series, Sarah uses wine and other edibles as paint.
“My current creative endeavors are influenced, in large part, by my experiences as a patient with complex medical conditions that are not visible to those around me,” she said. “My hope is that this artwork will convey the pain and hope of my story, and may inspire empathy and compassion for those with chronic pain. Sometimes the deepest, most unbearable pain is the kind you cannot see.”
One piece from the series, “Hope Springs,” is being published in the online publication Hollow.
Sarah is donating 30% of all painting sales—15% to the Interstitial Cystitis Association and 15% to the American Chronic Pain Association.
Sarah Bigham paints, teaches and writes in Maryland, where she lives with her kind chemist wife, three independent cats, an unwieldy herb garden and several chronic pain conditions including interstitial cystitis.
For additional information about Sarah’s artwork or to purchase a painting, Sarah may be reached at [email protected].
The Chester County Hospital Foundation is located at 795 E. Marshall St., Suite 201, in West Chester.
- Photography/artwork: Sarah Bigham
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