Los Angeles, California

acrylic on canvas

48 inches long x 38 inches wide

Pain is the beginning and the end of every day for me. I have suffered from chronic pain for so long that I can't imagine life without it anymore. As my back pain increased and the brace came into my life, I found myself painting an increasing number of self-portraits. Through them I try to express a feeling I cannot put into words. They are an attempt to explain the torment I am going through. For me, creating art is just something I do to help me survive a life of constant pain. It's as if the paintings have become a record of my pain, giving a face to an otherwise faceless enemy.