Living With A Rare Disease And Chronic Pain, This Artist Found Joy In Creating Beautiful Art

Artist Beau Bernier Frank suffered from chronic pain for several years that was recently attributed to an autoimmune disease called Ankylosing Spondylitis. The disease caused such severe pain and inflammation within Frank’s joints that he had to quit his job. Stuck at home for five months, Frank found himself in a dark tunnel of purposeless pain. As a means of coping with the unfortunate realities of his situation, Frank turned to the things he loved most about life — art and world travel.

h/t: boredpanda, diply

He combined these two things into an artistic project entitled “Off the Grid.” The project involves a fusion of landscape imagery with classic portraits. The oil paintings feature male models staring off distantly, with brightly colored travel imagery painted over them.

Since being diagnosed with his disease, Frank is on the path towards pain management and recovery. The paintings that emerged from his pain are a reminder of his perseverance.

In a write-up about the meaning of the project, Frank states, “The model’s gazes offer insight into their personalities and reveal an air of disconnectedness with an undercurrent of nostalgia – ­­in other words, they seek to escape their reality, and to travel to those distant places painted across their faces.”