After surviving a massive brainstem stroke at 33 yo, Maggie continues to make art that communicates what it is like to live with disability and chronic pain. You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Here is a 30 min. talk she gave about her stroke journey. And you can check out her latest creative endeavor, a documentary film project “The Great Now What”.

This extraordinary piece is by Chicago artist Syril Strickler-Wegman who is known for her spectacular murals. This beaded sculpture was created following her experience being treated for seizures with a deep brain neurostimulator. Visit her studio to see more of her beautiful beaded work and charming pet portraits.

June writes “I had my stroke early in the morning of February 1, 2021. I’d spent the day before enjoying a winter’s day cross country skiing, which has been a life long passion of mine. My recovery has blessed me by restoring my ability to write, another passion. This recovery journey has provided endless material with which to write; my hope is to speak to survivors using their language and to educate others about stroke using theirs.”

Self-portrait titled “ Facial nerve pain”. Neuropathic pain is caused by damage or injury to the nerves that transfer information between the brain - spinal cord and the skin, muscles and other parts of the body. It is experienced as a burning sensation and affected areas are often sensitive to touch. In addition to excruciating pain, symptoms may include pins and needles, numbness and difficulty sensing temperature.

This powerful drawing titled “Aphasia” conveys the anguish felt by those living with this disability. Aphasia happens as a result of damage to areas of the brain that produce and process language. People with aphasia can have difficulty speaking, reading, writing, or understanding language, but their intelligence is not affected. You can follow Edyta Prawdzińska on Instagram and find more of her beautiful work at her Etsy shop.

When he was just 37 yo, commercial artist Ken Kimball suffered a near fatal aneurysm. Despite an 8-hour surgery to repair the arterial venous malformation (AVM) that caused his stroke, he was still left with double vision. Ken’s portraits show us how he sees the world.

Luna had a severe stroke when she was 20 years old. She is a dynamic force of nature who continues to share her passionate creativity as an artist in film and television, as well as on her Youtube Channel. Because of her young age, nobody thought she was having a stroke and so proper care was delayed. As a result of this, she is a strong advocate for education about the risks of stroke in young people.

This amazing 1-minute film is narrated by stroke survivors using their own words, and uses dynamic works of art to illustrate their experiences. The film was directed by stroke survivor Lotje Sodderland who tells her story in the Netflix documentary “My Beautiful Broken Brain”.

Katwise’s motto: “Don’t let chronic illness hold you back - make the most of every day. Life is beautiful.” Kat dealt with something common to many stroke survivors when her career as a police officer ended due to an injury. She began turning vintage sweaters into one-of-a-kind works of wearable art. If you are ready for a joyful explosion of creativity and color, visit her on Instagram.

Ken writes: “Drawing does for me what others find in meditation, prayer or gardening. It is my way of connecting to the world; it is not just making images but drinking in and praising what’s around me. Returning to the world after a stroke, you look at it with fresh eyes. You want to absorb all you see. For me that meant being able to draw again, and art aided my recovery and charted it.”

Award winning multimedia artist, Mark says ‘Stroke left me confused and uncertain about the new world I found myself in; even the simplest of tasks proved immensely challenging. Things that were previously important to me were less so, and many things I had ignored in my past life, took on new and profound importance. Most significantly, the stroke made me question my perception of self and my role in relation to others.” See Mark’s website for his past and current projects.