Peony Petals
Jimin Han
Painting
My artwork was inspired by a dermatology patient Lena* who had come for clinical advice about an eye condition which that had worsened – a complication due to living with Psoriasis. After her consultation, I was lucky to spend some time with Lena and therefore gain a better understanding of her skin disease and how it has impacted her life.
As a young adult, where so much of people’s lives are uploaded onto social media, she had initially struggled with depression as she felt as though she wasn’t pretty or worth enough to post images of herself the way others her age would. Lena did not feel comfortable or safe in her own skin and hated her reflection in the mirror. She used lots of makeup products to conceal the redness which only made her psoriasis flare and worsen. Lena often felt alone and that no one could understand her struggles and the mental toll it takes to have to deal with a disease that affects one’s appearance so dramatically and visually. However, through therapy and meeting people in groups for people with Psoriasis, she had slowly started developing an acceptance for her disease with no cure. Lena now tries to empower other people to feel that their skin is nothing to be ashamed of. She now talks to others about how she cares for her skin and finds the products that work for her and clothes that don’t irritate her skin.
I presented Lena’s red patches as petals to a peony as they are equally as delicate but beautiful. Peonies also symbolize healing which I thought was perfect as she is not only tending to her skin physically but also on a path to mental healing as well. Even with this great improvement, Lena does admit that it is still a long road to feeling beautiful and although she preaches self-love, she isn’t quite there yet. When she’s alone she often feels the insecurities that society constantly reminds her of – but she is working to improve her outlook and acceptance of Psoriasis as a whole.
So in the white background, the drawing is to show the side that Lena expresses to empower others to walk the same path of self-love and acceptance. The dark background is to show the concerns and negative thoughts she still has about herself and to represent that Lena’s path to well-being is not only physically challenging but mentally challenging also.
*Name changed for confidentiality
As a young adult, where so much of people’s lives are uploaded onto social media, she had initially struggled with depression as she felt as though she wasn’t pretty or worth enough to post images of herself the way others her age would. Lena did not feel comfortable or safe in her own skin and hated her reflection in the mirror. She used lots of makeup products to conceal the redness which only made her psoriasis flare and worsen. Lena often felt alone and that no one could understand her struggles and the mental toll it takes to have to deal with a disease that affects one’s appearance so dramatically and visually. However, through therapy and meeting people in groups for people with Psoriasis, she had slowly started developing an acceptance for her disease with no cure. Lena now tries to empower other people to feel that their skin is nothing to be ashamed of. She now talks to others about how she cares for her skin and finds the products that work for her and clothes that don’t irritate her skin.
I presented Lena’s red patches as petals to a peony as they are equally as delicate but beautiful. Peonies also symbolize healing which I thought was perfect as she is not only tending to her skin physically but also on a path to mental healing as well. Even with this great improvement, Lena does admit that it is still a long road to feeling beautiful and although she preaches self-love, she isn’t quite there yet. When she’s alone she often feels the insecurities that society constantly reminds her of – but she is working to improve her outlook and acceptance of Psoriasis as a whole.
So in the white background, the drawing is to show the side that Lena expresses to empower others to walk the same path of self-love and acceptance. The dark background is to show the concerns and negative thoughts she still has about herself and to represent that Lena’s path to well-being is not only physically challenging but mentally challenging also.
*Name changed for confidentiality
Effective Consulting, Year Two, 2022-23
Highly Commended for the annual Creative Prize
Highly Commended for the annual Creative Prize
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As someone who suffers from a skin condition, eczema. This artwork really encapsulates the thoughts I have, especially the ones in the dark background. Some thoughts that I really related to were “I wish I had clear skin!”, “Will I ever experience normal life cuz of my skin?” and “No one ever understands my pain” which really hit home for me. I liked how this artist saw the patient’s psoriasis patches as something beautiful like petals to a peony as skin conditions are usually not seen as something nice and the artist somehow could find similarities between a flower and a psoriasis patch.
I also like how this artwork does not just cover the negative portion of having a skin condition but also uses this piece of artwork to encourage and uplift people suffering from skin conditions. This can be seen through the white background with positive affirmations such as “I am beautiful in my own skin”. This positive attitude is something really important to people with skin conditions as it is really easy to wallow up in self-pity which can affect our mental health.