Internationally recognized artist KYRIANNA is a master of watercolors and mixed-media artworks. Her art explores the beauty and pain of the human experience through a surrealistic lens. The juxtaposition of beauty and shrill imagery representing pain is beautiful and disturbing. KYRIANNA herself suffers from chronic pain, and that is the driving force behind her endurance and determination in her current work. The striking imagery in her work demands attention as it is not only a window but a mirror into the secret pain many of us carry. KYRIANNA’s work is a source of resilience, inspiration, and hope.
A Journey Of Survival and Perseverance
KYRIANNA grew up on a small farm in the Siskiyou mountains that herds sheep; KYRIANNA’s artistic journey began early. After discovering her talent for watercolor, she trained under Elaine Frenett, a local watercolorist. While at the Waldorf middle school, art had become a passion, but it wasn’t until age twelve—when KYRIANNA developed a debilitating chronic pain condition—that art became her sanctuary.
A quote from the artist’s website vividly describes her process, “Suddenly, I could see the pain and even draw myself pulling it out of my body if I wanted to.” This quote from KYRIANNA reflects, how self-portraiture allowed her to process grief and anger around her condition. The visual metaphors in her work—roots penetrating soil, fungus growing on wood—express the entanglement of her condition within her body.
Art as Agency and Emotional Release
While KYRIANNA’s self-portraits are deeply personal, her commissioned portraits of others with chronic pain involve a collaborative process. “I rarely sit and workshop ideas for my self-portraits; they usually just come to me fully formed. But for commissions, I conduct in-depth interviews and guided visualizations to help subjects arrive at a metaphor for their symptoms.”
“Working with people who have chronic pain is always emotional. I feel kinship with them and anger about how society treats them.”
Creating art for others is an emotional journey. “Working with people who have chronic pain is always emotional. I feel kinship with them and anger about how society treats them. Hearing their reactions to their portraits touches me deeply—it never gets old.”
Exploring Larger Themes Through Art
Misogyny, ableism, and classism are inextricable from her work. “These concepts are vital to my artistic expression,” she states. Drawing from her background—both her parents are psychotherapists—she explores the mind-body connection and the emotional toll of chronic conditions.
Overcoming Challenges
KYRIANNA’s unimaginable chronic pain is debilitating and, at times, leaves her unable to stand upright by herself or walk. Much of her youth became filled with multitudes of doctor appointments and unrelenting physical therapy, tests of every kind run, but there seemed to be no easy answers for what was afflicting her. KYRIANNA had always loved art, but now it quickly became her sanctuary from this unexplainable and tortured condition.
KYRIANNA’s artistic journey has been challenging. One particularly memorable moment involved a foster kitten tracking black paint across a portrait. “Watercolor is not forgiving, but I managed to recover. It turned out okay!” KYRIANNA’s drive toward her vision mirrors her fortitude in life with a chronic condition. She always finds a way. Such moments have shaped KYRIANNA’s approach, reinforcing the importance of adaptability and tenacity.
MALAISE
KYRIANNA’s recent exhibition, MALAISE features surreal, larger-than-life pieces that explore her worsening condition. “I want to give a voice to people with chronic pain, make them feel seen, and educate able-bodied viewers.”
MALAISE was on display at the 1078 Gallery in Chico, CA, from November 1–24, 2024—the subject of the show centers around disability. Using herself and others as models, KYRIANNA explores the deep psychology of being in chronic pain as an artist and as the subject matter. In addition, she creates sensitive portraits displaying the vulnerability of others afflicted with pain or disability.
In her piece, “Pin the Pill on the Disability,“ is an interactive artwork by KYRIANNA that invites viewers to confront the biases surrounding invisible disabilities. Using a twist on a familiar childhood game, the piece engages participants in an active experience that mirrors the subtle, often subconscious judgments we make daily about others. By asking participants to explicitly decide whether someone appears disabled based on surface-level cues, the artwork brings these unconscious assumptions into focus, sparking dialogue and awareness about the realities of invisible disabilities.
In KYRIANNA’s, mixed-media piece, “Cabinet,” has portraits drawn on the outside of a cabinet. The viewers can see a collection of medications inside the ajar cabinet drawer. In this piece, she relates to a banal activity many of us depend on to live.
ANIMUS
As co-founder of the ANIMUS collective, KYRIANNA collaborates on projects that delve into feminism, intersectionality, disability, and psychology. Located in San Francisco, California, Art Collective that seeks to create multi-layered art experiences for creative exhibits or components to increase visibility and engagement during live events.
KYRIANNA runs ANIMUS with Haley Baldwin. Although ANIMUS is currently on Hiatus its mission is to connect with more people in their community through art. They focus on art and events that illustrate, elevate, and inspire through art and dedication. An important message inspired by KYRIANNA permeates their purpose in educating challenges, no matter how great, can be overcome with patience, will, commitment, and passion.
Advice for Emerging Artists
For young artists living with chronic conditions, KYRIANNA offers this advice: “Look at as much art as you can and let it inspire you. Create from an authentic place—it’s cathartic and powerful.”
“I want to give a voice to people with chronic pain, make them feel seen, and educate able-bodied viewers.”
Anyone who has experienced chronic pain knows how debilitating it is. In KYRIANNA’s case, despite her struggles, she shows great dedication to the concepts and techniques in her meticulous work. She makes a choice every day to focus on her art rather than surrender to her struggles with pain. It has taught her to appreciate even the difficult things in life that help to inspire her purpose in art. (Bio | KYRIANNA https://www.kyrianna.net)
As KYRIANNA continues her journey, her art is a lifeline for those grappling with chronic pain and illness, offering beauty and connection in the face of struggle.
Article written by Kevin Trivedi of ArtistScape.
To see more of KYRIANNA’s work, visit her at:
https://theanimuscollective.wixsite.com/animus
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kyrianna.art/
