Brilliance - a virtual exhibition of creative works from the global brain tumour community
Smita Bhatia Canada Title of creative work: “Critique” Medium: white pencil on black paper Size of creative work: 8 inches x 14 inches approximately
Looking back at the past nine years since my first tryst with meningeal hemangiopericytoma (now called “solitary fibrous tumor”), I was in the middle of my master’s degree in Applied Economics from Johns Hopkins University in 2013 and my LL.B. from the University of London in 2021. My symptoms manifested as an inability to express myself, which I later learned was a form of expressive aphasia as my tumor was impinging upon my left temporal lobe. Things get complicated when one cannot express their symptoms and I consider myself blessed to be diagnosed at the appropriate time. I am happy that I could express myself through art - watercolor and portraits provided a good challenge to keep myself occupied, especially during the pandemic-induced lockdown. This is a portrait of my mesho (uncle). He has been a constant supporter of my artistic endeavors. I was really ecstatic when he acknowledged that this work was one of my best! Smita Bhatia
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