This is a charitable art project of SheilaLynnK Art Studio. By visiting: artforarachnoiditis.org, you hereby accept the terms of use and practices detailed in the sheilalynnkart.com ONLINE PRIVACY POLICY.
“I am an Arachnoiditis Survivor since 2007. I use the arts as a tool for living with arachnoiditis in my life. I created the Art For Arachnoiditis Project in 2014 to Empower fellow Survivors. As the project grows, I am sharing my daily discoveries about Creative Tools for Independent Sustainable Wellness.” ~Sheila L. Kalkbrenner
COVID 19 UPDATE: The five module Creative Wellness Independent Study Program is now available for FREE to anyone who needs it. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THAT HERE
Update 4.7.2020 The Art For Arachnoiditis Project Facebook page has closed. News, Updates, and Creative Wellness Activities for this and other charitable projects from SheilaLynnK Art Studio are now being posted on patreon. HERE
A NOTE TO NEW VISITORS (7.3.2019) Sorry you need us but, glad you found us!
While this project was “live” from 2014 to 2018, Arachnoiditis survivors were able to submit art entries for an annual exhibit to increase arachnoiditis awareness. Though we no longer have the resources to continue that aspect of the project, there is a great deal of free content and coping tools here that will remain available to anyone who would like to use them. You can find headings for those topics when you scroll down to the bottom of the home page.
Via email, survivors are still invited to submit digital images of any artwork they have created which helps them cope with arachnoiditis. (Subject: Add my Art to A4A gallery.) As my schedule permits, these images are added to this online gallery of art by arachnoiditis survivors.
I cannot provide medical advice but, feel free to Contact me at the studio if you have additional questions about this project.
~Blessings!
P.S. This is a one-woman administration. I do the best I can to respond and distribute materials in a timely manner. Online messages are usually monitored on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Your patience is greatly appreciated.
HISTORY OF THE PROJECT
Inspired by The Culture of Possibility: Art, Artists & the Future by Arlene Goldbard; it began at SheilaLynnK Art Studio in March 2014, as a one-to-one Survivor Portrait Project. It has grown into a Charitable Creative Wellness Art Project serving Arachnoiditis Survivors around the world.
Many Thanks to all who joined us on this journey!
Existing resources and art by survivors submitted during the four years of this project will continue to live FREE to the public HERE.
The project provided an affordable venue for Survivors to tell our story through Independent Publishing Services, display original healing art by Arachnoiditis Survivors, encourage healing through assorted Healing Art Activities, and creative practices used in ancient and modern art therapy applications, provide methods for arachnoiditis survivors to document survival and adaptation through the arts, establish a venue to publicize arachnoiditis awareness/prevention events using original art by Arachnoiditis Survivors, and (to the best of my ability) supply credible links to resources for survivors.
A charitable project of SheilaLynnK Art Studio, this project was fiscally sponsored by The New York Foundation for the Arts from 2014-2018. If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to support the maintenance of this project you can find out more about that HERE.
EXPLORE ALL FOUR YEARS OF THIS WORK HERE
[Arachnoiditis is a spinal cord injury caused by the neurotoxins in spinal injections and invasive spinal procedures. This website is intended to provide a practical coping resource which supplements the numerous support groups available in Social Media and is NOT intended as medical advice or guidance. All visitors are advised to consult a trustworthy naturopath or physician prior to making any assumptions about prognosis, diagnosis, or changes in Arachnoiditis care or treatment.]
Financial Summary ~Mar.2014—-June 2018
OUR FINAL FEATURED ENTRY
Submitted for Consideration by Arachnoiditis Survivor, Kellie Chidester
FROM THE GALLERY OF ART BY ARACHNOIDITIS SURVIVORS
Titled “Painder”; Kellie says, “Back in 2009, I began sketching a ‘female spider’ to express to others the pain I was experiencing – needing all of the legs of a spider to communicate the burning, freezing, electrical, stabbing ants with hot tap shoes, etc. kinds of pain I battled 24/7.”
Current project activities, announcements, and studio updates about current charitable art projects are FREE to the public in the Activity Feed on Sheila’s Patreon Page.
Endorsements from Survivors, Advocates, and Participants are useful in obtaining funding and support for future SheilaLynnK Art Studio projects like this. These are greatly appreciated! Keep ’em coming.
This Exhibit, Featuring Art by Arachnoiditis Survivors, was Open at SheilaLynnK Art Studio April 30th and FREE to the public during Open Studio Hours until May 28th 2016.
MORE ABOUT THIS EVENT Watch video
Joining other states in the nation, with Dedicated Assistance from Senator Catherine Young; the Governor of New York State has proclaimed July to be Arachnoiditis Awareness Month.

Many thanks to our current sponsors. Advocates, businesses, and independent individuals, this project could not happen without your support. Arachnoiditis Awareness Merchandise and Art By Survivors sales also help to finance this project.
Scroll down to see the directory of other artforarachnoiditis.org topics and posts.
The Art For Arachnoiditis Project is NOT affiliated with any commercial agencies. There are no affiliate links on this page. However, in the interest of funding other aspects of the project, we have not upgraded our WordPress Account to an Ad Free level. Any ads you see on this website have been posted there by WordPress.
Here to provide coping tools for Survivors; The Art For Arachnoiditis Project is NOT a forum for selling Medical Advice or Services or to recruit participants for Political Agendas.
I have Arachnoiditis..Please help
Hello Jennifer, I am not sure what kind of help you are seeking. However, you can find some useful posts here about adapting and coping with arachnoiditis. Also, there are numerous closed support groups available on facebook and other social media. Some basic links to those resources are listed here: http://sheilalynnkart.com/artwork/3491498_What_is_Arachnoiditis.html. From here you should be able to find other groups who might meet your specific needs. Wishing you a low pain day. 🙂
I was diagnosed with Arachnoiditis in 2010. I found a great protocol for Arachnoiditis. It is the method of Forest Tennant M.D. I have been having issues with my thyroid. I had all my hormones tested and also found out I have very high numbers in my inflammatory markers. This protocol for treatment of Arachnoiditis has all this information in it. I have been suffering for all this time and there was a reason. The pain we have has made our systems work overtime and they are just wore out. I am going to call this doctor tomorrow. I am sick of having different doctors treat me and not one have tied it all together. I was given an order for a test for adrenal and I goggled adrenal and Arachnoiditis and this medical protocol came up. It has everything you need to know to treat Archnoiditis. My hormones are crazy. One is very high one month and low the next month. I am sick of being sick all the time! I think this protocol is good information for our treatment.
The Arachnoiditis education project. January 2016
Carol, Thank you for letting us know. You might like to share this information in the numerous support groups. Just follow the groups listing link in the narrative at the beginning of the home page. ~Wishing you a low pain day. This website is NOT intended as medical advice or guidance. All visitors are advised to consult a trustworthy physician prior to making any assumptions about prognosis, diagnosis, or changes in Arachnoiditis care or treatment
Hello Carol. This is Debora Would we chat by facebook? Im desperate looking for someone who have learnt to live with this illness…. i have aracnoiditis since almost 1year and i have very negative thoughs cause as you said.. im sick of be sick. My entire family are suffering … im loosing my capability to walk… i lying in my bed all time daily basis… i need talk with someone in this situation… thank u very much. Wish everybody low pain
Deborah, Apologies for the delay in approving your comment.
I missed the alert. Carol should be able to see your message now. If Carol is unable to respond, we have the numerous support groups available in Social Media. Perhaps somebody there will be able to help. ~Sheila This link shows the Facebook list of groups. You may have to be logged in to see the list. https://www.facebook.com/search/str/arachnoiditis/keywords_groups
Could you remove this message? It become public with my personal data…Please, thanks
I don’t really have a way to make it a private message from you to Carol. However, I have “unapproved” your comment. It should not show up in the comments thread now. I hope you were able to obtain the answers you were seeking. Please let me know if you have any additional questions/concerns.
I have a recent diagnosis of adhesive Arachnoiditis and I found this page but I’m not clear how to utilize the support. Are people with AAA allowed to take online art classes for free. I light around most of the day in pain and would love to fine something creative to do. I’m not an artist but I’d love to learn. Looking forward to hearing from you as to how this site works.
Sorry you need us but, glad you found us! While this project was “live” from 2014 to 2018, Arachnoiditis survivors were able to submit art entries for an annual exhibit to increase arachnoiditis awareness. Though we no longer have the resources to continue that aspect of the project, there is a great deal of free content and coping tools here that will remain available to anyone who would like to use them. You can find headings for those topics when you scroll down to the bottom of the home page. We also have an Art For Arachnoiditis facebook page. Survivors are invited to submit digital images of any artwork they have created which helps them cope with arachnoiditis. As my schedule permits, these images are added to this online gallery of art by arachnoiditis survivors. A Creative Wellness Independent Study Program from SheilaLynnK Art Studio has also been made available for free to all arachnoiditis survivors registered to the Art For Arachnoiditis Project. You don’t need to be an “artist” to participate in any of these activities. You can find out more about that here: https://sheilalynnkart.com/artwork/4274424-Creative-Wellness-Program.html ~Blessings! P.S. This is a one-woman administration. I do the best I can to respond and distribute materials in a timely manner. Online messages are usually monitored on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Your patience is greatly appreciated.