Kristy has always been passionate about art. But when she started experiencing vertigo in January 2021, her world turned upside down.
The dizziness was constant, making it difficult for Kristy to navigate even the simplest tasks. The throbbing pain in the back of her head and neck made it impossible to concentrate, and she struggled to focus her eyes. It was like the ground beneath her feet was constantly shifting, and she had to stay home, unable to work on her art or even leave her bed.
Kristy had a history of ear problems before the dizziness started. So, that is where her doctors started.
When her ear problems were solved by getting tubes, Kristy hoped that her dizziness would go away too, but it persisted. She was referred to a neurologist and went through various tests, including a VNG, MRI, and CT scan, before finally receiving a diagnosis of vestibular migraine. The journey to diagnosis was long and stressful, but Kristy was determined to find answers.
After trying various treatments and going through vestibular therapy, Kristy found relief through medication prescribed by her neurologist. She also started making lifestyle changes to avoid migraine triggers when possible. These changes, along with her medication, helped Kristy to regain some control over her life and start making art again.
Kristy’s Art
Kristy’s art consists of mediums that vary between charcoal, colored pencils, digital, and watercolor. She enjoys doing photo-realistic drawings of people that tell a story. Most of her artwork has dark subject matter but are depicted using bright colors to explore the contrast between dark and light.
As an artist, she has always loved doing illustrative art and editorial pieces that incorporate people into them. Academically, her extensive course work at the Academy has allowed her to gain an understanding and appreciation for traditional art. She has many traditional media skills, as well as some digital media abilities.
She loves incorporating people into her art and creating illustrations based on things that inspire her. She is most inspired by pop culture (television, music, etc.) because she loves stories and using illustration as a form of storytelling.
Kristy is enthusiastic about life drawing and traditional art as well as illustration and editorial work. She would love to do book cover design, interior book illustration, editorial illustration, and product design. She tries to find things that inspire her every day as an artist and creative person in general.