Priya Rama

I paint my migraines!

My art, like my life, revolves around my chronic migraines. Everything I do follows the ebb, flow and crest of wellness. When a migraine comes on, images emerge in my mind's eye. These colors and shapes undulate and dance slowly, sometimes receding, sometimes advancing. I have no control over these mystical images: they simply appear!

The challenge is to be present in the chaos, to absorb the visual symphony playing out in my mind’s eye. Some notes are peaceful while others discordant. I can't paint through a migraine but I'm able to recall the imagery at a later time, and commit that to canvas. Each painting here captures a moment from within different migraines. Texture, dimensionality, movement, and color star in the narrative.

Painting the migraine images has proven to be cathartic and calming. I call the process 'a meditative conversation': it's the oneness of my mind and body, of inviting something in while letting go of something else. This lets me move forward, accept what is, and not ponder over what ifs. My paintings are beautiful keepsakes of moments that's otherwise lost. One of the most interesting things that has happened since I've started painting these images is that they've become more v...

2012-2014 Doctoral Studies, ABD, Arts Administration, Education and Policy, The Ohio State University
2012 MA Visual Arts Education, University of Cincinnati
1998 BFA Communication Arts and Design, Virginia Commonwealth University

Cincinnati
Chicago
Charleston