Shana Stern

Artist Statement

A former writer and dancer, I began painting when I could no longer do either, after becoming disabled from Multiple Sclerosis. Unable to hold a paintbrush, I created my own method of painting, using only my fingers.

Music triggers the experience of moving colors dancing in my mind. I listen to nothing but a single song from conception through the completion of a painting and try to translate what I see onto the canvas. I utilize highly textured materials which cause light to shimmer and bounce - so the paint seems to move or "dance".

Attempting to create something beautiful as I use my fingers to make the paint dance across the canvas, is my way of fighting back against the daily, uncontrollable issues I have because of my health. Through my art, I now tell my stories with paint and I can once again dance — with my hands.