I’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Jameson. I first became aware of Elizabeth through social media – both on Instagram and Twitter where I have been following her journey as a neuroartist for a while. This week, I had the great pleasure of talking to her over Skype.

A public interest lawyer, Elizabeth was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis-MS in 1992. After what she calls an existential crisis (noting that sounds much better than depression) she found her way to art and began a journey of transforming her own brain scans into images that challenge how society views the brain, disability and illness.

Below are some of my favorite pieces of Elizabeth’s, and I encourage you to spend some time on her website looking at all of her images at  jamesonfineart.com

I asked Elizabeth how she keeps going – both making art and getting it out there despite her illness. She replied with an infectious laugh, “I’m brilliant and beautiful. After a while, depression gets boring for me. I need to create.” As a quadriplegic she does require assistance and artist Catherine Monahon, her current studio assistant, explained that Elizabeth works full time on her art and is the “legs” of every project. Catherine notes that she, as the assistant, is “running after her ideas and trying to put clothes on them so they can be implemented .”  What a great team effort. 

Recently Elizabeth gave a TedX talk that you can watch below. You’ll be amazed at the depth and breadth of Elizabeth’s work and the description of her journey.

What’s up for Elizabeth now?

• She is currently working on exploring definitions of intimacy from her perspective as a quadriplegic. What does it look like for her? What does intimacy mean? In addition to writing articles about intimacy, Elizabeth is undergoing a 30 day intimacy challenge on instagram this month.

 

• She’d like to make work for the Brain Tumor Association - portraiture that involves the imperfect brain, speaking  to both patients and caregivers, bringing color and complexity into what it means to live with illness.

 

• She wants to use her art in service to her passion for social justice and equality and is hoping to start soon on a project that would highlight the impact of children’s exposure to trauma.  In an ideal world, she’d like to see that work hanging at the U.N., the World Bank or anywhere that it might influence policy makers.

I can’t wait to see where Elizabeth’s journey takes her and have no doubt she will get wherever she wants to go.  She is up for the next challenge, interested in any project that helps others.

I’m grateful for her choosing to spend some time with me along the way. 

Adding to this post - NYTimes article by Elizabeth published July 10, 2020:
​I Have M.S. This Is What It’s Like to Be Fed by Other People. 

It's been two weeks since I traveled to Washington D.C. to take part in my first ever Art of Neuroscience Exhibition at the Society for Neuroscience annual convention with  30,000 attendees. In a word - amazing.

The art exhibition was fairly small with only 7 booths and each of us had something really unique to offer. Links to my fellow artists below if you'd like to learn more about them. And, as the newbie at the show, I have to say they were all kind and helpful!

• Christine Liu - www.twophotonart.com
• Greg Dunn - www.gregadunn.com
• H. Kathleen Childress Designs - www.hkcdesigns.wordpress.com
• Michele Banks - www.etsy.com/shop/artologica
• Amy Davis Roth - Surly-Ramics – www.surlyramics.com
• William (Bill) Stephen Griesar – www.nwnoggin.org 

The best part of the show for me was the response to my work by neuroscientists. People from all over the world came by my booth and talked to me about my work and appreciated it. And by now, pieces of mine have been carried as far as Japan, Turkey, Spain, Brazil and Greece.

It was an incredibly gratifying experience and I hope to be able to attend next year as well in San Diego, California - my old home state.

In the meantime, here is what's on my reading list: