Orange roses for ADHD:

"Busy Bee Napping" is an acrylic painting created for ADHD awareness. ADHD is recognized in October with an orange awareness ribbon.

I chose orange roses for ADHD because orange is the ribbon color, and roses are loved by many people, even with their thorns.

Many people with ADHD are beautiful in the ways that they are empathetic, creative or adventurous, just as roses are beautiful in their own way. People with ADHD struggle with self regulation and executive function as their thorns.

The bee in this design symbolizes the internal and external hyperactivity that is part of having ADHD. Bees may look like they flit about aimlessly, but they are actually making our world more beautiful by living their lives.

Resources to learn more about ADHD:

• Additude Magazine
• CHADD- Children and Adults with ADD

White orchids against a black background for glaucoma:

“Branch of Pale Green Orchids” is an acrylic painting created for glaucoma awareness, which is recognized in January. The light green awareness ribbon color was added to the shadows of the petals.

I chose white orchids for glaucoma to represent vision because orchid blooms last for a long time, just as we would like our vision to last a long time. The black background represents blindness.

Resource to learn more about glaucoma:

• World Glaucoma Association

Blue bearded iris gardens for depression:

“Blue Bearded Iris Garden” is an oil painting created for depression awareness, which is recognized in October with a light green awareness ribbon.
I chose blue iris flowers for depression because they are blue, which many people associate with sadness. I also added the light green ribbon color into the petals.

These flowers grow and bloom with not only blue, but yellow too, which many people associate with happiness. Just because someone has depression, doesn't mean that they can never experience happiness or hope.

The background was painted black to represent the feelings of hopelessness and oppressive feelings of despair. However, I painted the iris as part of a garden, because many people have depression, and people who are suffering do not have to suffer alone.

Resources to learn more about depression:

• SAMHSA- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
• What’s Your Grief

Yellow Prickly Pear Cactus for chronic pelvic pain:

“Prickly Pear Cactus” is an acrylic painting created for chronic pelvic pain awareness, which is recognized in May with a light green awareness ribbon color.

I chose a cactus because the thorns are painful and their leaves match the ribbon color. However, cacti are resilient, and produce beautiful yellow flowers which I used to represent hope.

Just as there are many species of cacti, there are many different causes of pelvic pain which will have different treatments.

Resources to learn more:

• The Endometriosis Association
• Vulvar Pain Foundation
• International Painful Bladder AssociationThe IBS Network 

Red roses with white water drops for blood donors:

“Dew Covered Roses” is a watercolor painting created for blood donors. Blood donors are recognized in January.

The red rose petals symbolize blood, and the dew drops symbolize a new beginning. A single donation can save up to three lives!

Resource to learn more:

• Red Cross Blood Donation

Teal morning glories for sexual assault survivors:

“Teal Morning Glories” is an acrylic painting created for sexual assault awareness, which is recognized in April with a teal awareness ribbon color.

I chose morning glories because they bloom once a day, die, and produce new blooms the next day. Every day is a new day, you can leave the old day behind. I used the ribbon color for the petals.

Morning glories also produce lots of blooms at one time- survivors are not alone.

Resource to learn more:

• RAINN- Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network

Red crepe myrtle for autoimmune hemolytic disease:

“Petals in the Breeze” is a watercolor painting created for autoimmune hemolytic disease awareness. This rare disease does not have its own awareness month, but the red petals in this painting symbolize blood cells.

I chose crepe myrtle petals, because the petals of these bushes are easy to shake free, just as red blood cells in autoimmune hemolytic disease release red blood cells prematurely.

Resource to learn more:

• Warm Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia Warriors

Orange tiger lilies for kidney disease:

“Tiger Lily Trio” is an acrylic painting created for kidney disease awareness, which is recognized in March.

The light green awareness ribbon color was added to the leaves. The orange kidney cancer ribbon color was added to the petals.

I chose three tiger lilies because sometimes, when someone gets a new kidney, the surgeon will just add the new kidney and leave the other two in.

Resource to learn more:

• American Association of Kidney Patients

White lilies and purple iris for the resurrection of Jesus:

“Easter Lilies and Iris Bouquet” is an acrylic painting created for the resurrection of Jesus.

Easter is often celebrated in spring with white lilies. I added white lilies to represent new beginnings.

There's also purple iris flowers because purple is often used in the Old Testament. Purple also represents royalty, and Jesus is known as the King of Kings.

Resource to learn more:

• The Bible Recap

Mushrooms for invisible illness:

"Beneath the Meadow" is an oil painting created for invisible illness. Peach is sometimes used as the ribbon color for invisible illness, which was used in the mushrooms.

I chose mushrooms because we can see them after it rains, but their spores are hidden during dry climates. In other words, even when we don't see them, they are always there.

They are under a field of wildflowers intentionally- the wildflowers represent other parts of life such as happiness, sadness, grocery shopping, celebrations, going to work, and all the normal parts of life. Just because someone is able to do those things, does not mean they do not struggle with an invisible illness.

There are innumerable invisible illnesses, such as fibromyalgia, PTSD, neuropathy, and PCOS.

Resource to learn more:

• NORD: National Organization for Rare Disorders