February Creator of the Month: Sue Bayley
Art has always been important to Sue Bayley, “it’s my saviour!” she says. For as far as she can remember she has always been drawing or painting. As a child, she drew on walls, paper, tables, and whatever she could find. She also experimented with different forms of creative expression and was educated at ballet school. When she was diagnosed with cancer and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), art became even more important to her.
People with ME/CFS are unable to perform their usual daily activities due to severe exhaustion. Brain inflammation due to her ME in conjunction with her body’s bad reaction to chemo for lymphoma caused brain complications for Sue. This forced her to change the way she made art.
For example, she had to switch to painting smaller canvases since she doesn't have the energy or ability to stand and dance around her art anymore. She also started using larger brushes and working with her non-dominant hand due to tremors. Since both the physical and mental demands of painting are exhausting, she has also started creating using fibres through knitting and crochet, which she can do lying down and in bed. She is currently in the process of making a blanket.
Sue has a very distinct style of art; as far as she remembers, she was inspired by nature. Art supplies such as pastels, crayons, and a sketchbook always had priority over clothes when she travelled. When Sue lived in Maui, she painted with the Plein Air Painters of Hawaii. They would go to different beaches or up islands into eucalyptus forests. When she would visit her son in France, her paintings of the landscapes were displayed in local galleries. Sue makes her mark on the world through her artwork.
When asked for advice from anyone who doesn’t have art as a part of their life, Sue says “just do it.” Although it’s difficult for people to have never been encouraged to be creative, she says it’s best to “think of it as playing with colour.”
“Living with cancer, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, and neurological disorders are hard but art is a central element of my life living with chronic diseases.”
- Sue Bayley
Sue’s website: http://suebayleyart.com
Sue’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suebayleyart/
