Painting Angels: Christine Jaksy’s Art as Response and Resilience
Christine Jaksy’s life has been marked by extraordinary resilience. A former athlete, she has endured a series of disabling and life-threatening conditions—lupus, paralysis of her right arm, and partial paralysis of her other limbs. Then, in December 2023, she received another diagnosis: epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE), a rare sarcoma arising in the cells that line blood vessels, discovered after surgical removal of tumors from her lungs.
But Christine has learned to transform struggle into beauty. Through a vibrant array of media—acrylics, oil pastels, photography, digital art, and mixed media—she creates powerful, spiritually grounded work that speaks to resilience, faith, and the human capacity to endure.
The Angel Series: A Divine Prompt
Christine’s Angel Series was born from what she describes as “a response to a prompt from God telling me to paint angels.” The series depicts angels in all their glory, illustrating Christine’s enduring spiritual faith despite the major health obstacles she has faced. Each painting is a testament to hope held in the midst of uncertainty.
One painting from this series, titled “Grace,” took on special significance when Christine gifted it to Deborah, a woman she met through a local sarcoma support group, who shockingly also had EHE. Sadly, Deborah has passed away.
What began as a personal spiritual practice became an act of solidarity and compassion—a tangible reminder that others understand the weight of this diagnosis.
Art as Connection and Healing
Christine’s commitment to art as therapy and awareness extends beyond her personal practice. She has participated in Brushes with Cancer, an event that pairs artists together, with one creating a painting inspired by the other’s story. Through this initiative, artist Janice Zeuch created a painting inspired by Christine’s journey, a beautiful example of how art can weave our stories together and create community.
For people with EHE navigating the uncertainty of a “wait and watch” diagnosis, Christine’s work offers something powerful: a visual language for spiritual faith, resilience, and the beauty that can emerge even in the midst of illness.
