Art-making and identity work: A qualitative study of women living with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME)

Abstract

Aims: Identity is at risk in chronic fatigue conditions because of physical dysfunction, role loss, and stigmatisation. This qualitative study explored the meanings of leisure-based art-making for women living with CFS/ME, in relation to preserving and promoting positive identities.Method: Thirteen women with CFS/ME participated. They offered reflective accounts about their engagement in art-making in interviews or in writing, which were then thematically analysed.Findings: All described identity loss since becoming ill, and described artmaking as offering restorative experiences. Some contrasting themes emerged. About half of the sample portrayed their art projects as constrained by ill-health, and as demonstrating the reality of CFS/ME to others. This subgroup struggled with limited aspirations, tended to create art alone, and did not identify themselves as being artists. They were interpreted as 'salvaging' identity through their art-making. Art-making appeared to offer others more substantial identity reconstruction, despite continuing ill-health. Participants in this sub-group described more positive aspirations, fellowship with other artmakers, and typically perceived themselves as having become artists since the onset of illness.Conclusion: The study contributes new understandings of the contribution of art-making to salvaging and reconstructing identity in CFS/ME.

“I Do Not Really Belong Out There Anymore”

“…Their sense of belonging relates to God, creative activities, significant others, and natural landscapes. These findings are in line with previous research: Natural landscapes have been described as "therapeutic landscapes" affording healing powers (Gesler, 1992), and leisure-based art-making can offer "restorative experiences" (Reynolds & Vivat, 2010).…”

Art in health and identity: Visual narratives of older Chinese immigrants to New Zealand

“…Yet, I have illustrated that paintings are more than aesthetic. Paintings promote much more profound and positive identity construction, through which the participants embrace a new view of self as a healthier person engaging in ongoing development, albeit sometimes in difficult circumstances (Reynolds & Vivat, 2010). Art-making enhances the individuals, building their capacity for change by stimulating personal growth, self-determination and contributing towards self-awareness and transformation of identity.…”

“…Research suggests that artistic activities have particular potency for promoting positive identity (Reynolds & Vivat, 2010;Stickley, 2010). Carlson (1997) contends that artmaking helps people construct enriched identities and construct a new preferred life-story.…”

“…As stated by Daykin, McClean and Bunt (2007), art, as a therapy tool, is a means of reinstating identities that have been damaged by the experience of illness. Such ideas help to challenge the perception of being shackled and rendered powerless by illness (Reynolds & Vivat, 2010). In research conducted amongst people who engaged with a community-based arts project promoting mental health in England, Stickley (2010) suggests that community engagement through the arts such as painting satisfies a person's need for social belonging.…”

“…In sum, research in health and social sciences suggests that creative products communicate both to self and to others the reality of the illness, helping to gain social acceptance for their condition. Moreover, art and art-making bring stimulation and meaning to everyday life, and offer people a means of reconstructing or transforming identity (Reynolds & Vivat, 2010).…”