MANDALA TANK TOP

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT:

Emma Parcells, is a 20-year-old artist who uses a wheelchair and has multiple invisible illnesses. When she was 11 she developed CRPS, or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and POTS, Postural Orthostatic Tachychardia Syndrome. CRPS is a rare neuro-inflammatory condition that causes inflammation in the sympathetic nervous system resulting in constant nerve pain. POTS is a form of Dysautonomia. She also found out she has a genetic disorder called hEDS - Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. This is a genetic connective tissue disorder that causes generalized joint instability which results in frequent joint dislocations. She had always been sick and got hurt more often than others her age. She became disabled in a wheelchair at 11. It’s a big change to go from being a typical kid, to using a wheelchair, but art saved her life. She started drawing Mandalas after she got sick and says art saved her life when her body was at its worst. Making art makes her pain more manageable, and it lets Emma express herself. It started out as a hobby but now she can't imagine her life without it.

Follow Emma on Instagram: @crps_fighter