This month marks two years since I quit my full-time job to pursue art as my career and launched the first version of my website. At first, my goal was simply to sell prints of my original artworks under Elise Jackman Art. Today, I want to share the reason behind the new name Elise’s Sanctuary and how both the business and I have evolved over the past two years.
Art has always been a big part of my life and the medium in which I’m best able to express myself. I’m no stranger to the tumultuous ups and downs life loves to offer, and I’ve always tried to be transparent when it comes to my mental health because I think it’s important to talk about. Though I can’t control the storms, I can do my best to help others find shelter. As I’ve grown through my own struggles, I’ve found purpose in capturing glimpses of light and hope and love through painting and sharing those glimpses with those who can relate to them.
In 2024, I began experiencing debilitating dissociative episodes, lasting anywhere from several hours to several days, and making it nearly impossible to work or do anything productive. I felt a disconnect from my brain, like the parts of me that knew how to complete tasks or paint or even think clearly were clouded by a dark, thick fog, and just out of reach. This led me to return to therapy where I started EMDR treatment for my complex PTSD.
Before I began the process of reprocessing difficult memories in EMDR therapy, I was asked to visualize and to name both a space for the memories to go, where they could stay until choosing to access them, and a safe space for myself, where I would feel comfortable and secure. I named this safe space my Sanctuary, and visualized it as my bedroom, more specifically a version of my bedroom where I would be surrounded with all the things that bring me joy: dim lighting from flickering candles, my favorite music playing, art covering the walls, plants growing in every corner, the warmth of blankets and stuffed animals protecting me.
My Sanctuary became a place I could return to both in reality and in my mind when faced with scary thoughts and feelings. I saw this space as a museum of all the things that make me me, including the memories my dissociating brain was trying to shield me from. Those experiences, even if I sometimes wanted to forget them, shaped me into the truest version of myself, a version who could find the beauty in any little thing, and turn it into art.
This website is a way for me to share the things that help make my Sanctuary a reality. It’s a space where you can find inspiration in the serene, serendipitous, or silly; discover the homemade picky pads that have helped with my own anxiety; or explore the coloring book I created with the therapeutic skills and affirmations that have guided my recovery.
The most rewarding part of Elise’s Sanctuary has been the opportunity to connect with people over my art. Seeing the things that give me meaning have meaning to other people fills my heart with joy. To see your reactions, to hear your stories, and to find new friends has more than met my original expectations of this business. I can only hope to continue to evolve as an artist and as a person while sharing the things I create with you, and that they help you find your way to your own Sanctuary.
Stay tuned to find out more about my journey as an artist and the experiences that shaped it, get a behind the scenes look into my creative process, or simply stay up to date on the local markets and events I’ll be participating in. Some other places you can find me and my work are Instagram and TikTok.