For those of you who have been following my ‘Rainbow Bubbles of Collective Effervescence’ portrait display, you may wonder … Why rainbows?
I first drew rainbows in my art in 1997 when I was 17, after a year of being totally bedridden.
On the way home from a doctor’s visit I saw a rainbow, and I felt hope that life could continue and still be worthwhile, even if I needed the wheelchair for the rest of my life.
I identified with the rainbow being a symbol of hope after the floods like in the Bible.
Rainbows of hope have been a theme in my art ever since. I believe every person has beauty and awe, with transient, unique and divine value:
I see all humans as rainbows of hope.
Since 2018 I have been using an iPad with Apple Pen to draw friends and famous people I love in bubbles of rainbow colours and reaching out by writing to many of them to tell them I love them, connecting, sharing my story and advocating for ME/CFS awareness. It’s been incredible, connecting with friends and also with singers, artists, authors, politicians and faith leaders all over the world and being blown away by their heartfelt responses. Now when I am isolated and alone, needing to rest, instead of feeling loneliness and missing out, I say ‘I am with you’ to them all and am filled with ‘collective effervescence’ (joy and awe in crowds of people) as I think of all the love in the world for me. I am never alone.
Due to severe fibromyalgia and ME/CFS, I can only draw for half an hour every few days, and need physio and several hours each day of ‘wholehearted rest’ (resting with no stimulus) to recover. I need to lie down 20+ hours each day as sitting and standing are extremely painful and I have limited energy. Even lying down I have never been free of pain for 35 years. I can sit, stand and walk for brief periods, but it’s always challenging and I pay for it later. Despite this I have been prolific, and have drawn hundreds of portraits of people I love.
Now, 60 of my portraits are on display at Montville Reflection Gallery, 152 Main St Montville, Qld open from 10am to 3pm daily until 29th Nov, 2025. I hope you can visit, see my artworks and be encouraged to reach out and connect to people you love!
Let’s all be rainbows of hope.