May Ling Kopecky

 My work visualizes my experiences with pediatric-onset Multiple Sclerosis (MS). I was diagnosed with MS at age fifteen, and I have since spent a lot of time in doctors’ offices and hospitals. During these visits, I take photos to use as references. I study these photographs and mentally edit them as I paint, creating images that reflect how I was feeling or what I was thinking about at the time. Through these realistic visual narratives, I explore themes of transition, stability, and comfort. By adding and erasing subjects, I document my personal relationship with medical spaces and share how places once perceived as frightening can grow to feel familiar. My goal is to spread MS awareness and advocate for those with invisible illnesses.