“ My art has been a bridge to others, when I was otherwise unable to connect.”

Katie Skipper uses painting as a way to expose experiences associated with both chronic pain as a result of Ehlers- Danlos Syndrome and social estrangement as a result of Asperger's syndrome. "I am able to see what I feel through painting. The subjects of my paintings are often distorted, fragmented, or disintegrating, parallel to my body that is falling apart. When I feel isolated from others, I paint my loneliness and fear." Within her piece "Under the Table", she represents her inability to communicate and perceive, as well as her frustration with medications for chronic pain. Her large-scale canvases demand the viewer's attention, and ultimately act as a compass to orient and ground her emotions. Katie also believes the art was a safe haven within her education and the only time she felt comfortable in the classroom. "Imagination overcomes my limitations. My art has become my best friend and my sanctuary. There, I find solace."

Katieskipper.homestead.com