Flight Path of Disability

A support group member’s experience with scleroderma

Palmerston North support group member, Catherine Thompson, has completed a series of paintings entitled “Flight Path of Disability”, representing her journey with scleroderma and her my life over the past year. It also expresses grief and loss.

The first painting is called “Encased” with the hands encased in ice and the arctic owl encasing its prey and everything caught in the cold Arctic environment. It expresses lost circulation/feeling. The second is called “Inflamed” Flamingo cupped in hands that are hot and burning – depicting pain.

The third painting is called “Interned” with the tern up against the glass, isolated behind the hands. Feeling alone, imprisoned and isolated. The fourth painting is called “Enraged” with the fighting cocks and the fist. It depicts anger and frustration.

The fifth painting is called “Engulfed” – with the seagull diving and the hand being pulled under, a feeling of being completely overwhelmed. The sixth painting, “Ensnared” features a New Zealand falcon pulling back against the tether, caught in a cycle with little control and hands slowly tightening into the shape of a claw, feeling trapped.

The seventh painting is called “Enlightened” – moon rising and two doves meeting, finding peace, tranquility and understanding/wisdom. The final eighth painting is called “Interred” – depicting death with new life and freedom. It shows hands flying free with the cross, depicting death, and the Kiwi underground with its egg – new life.

The series took Catherine a year to paint and was also a struggle emotionally so there were times when she says she couldn’t paint at all.

“I am a mainly self taught artist with a love of nature and New Zealand wildlife in particular. I am inspired by the New Zealand bush and coastline. I use large brushes and work with a free, loose style on the background of the pieces finishing the finer detail with smaller brushes and strokes,” she says.

“I express myself freely in my work and this series of birds ‘Flight Path of Disability’ depicting my journey with Scleroderma, grief, loss and disability is an example of that.