In 1994 I graduated from Johns Hopkins with a MA in Medical and Biological Illustration and went to work at the University of Miami as staff illustrator at the medical school. I worked there for several years until a heartbreak led me to leave the institution. I then taught figure drawing and animation full time at International Fine Arts College in Miami. In 2001 I yearned to get back to the occupation I’d formally trained for and began Art for Law & Medicine, Inc. which is still a viable company and provides medical demonstrative evidence for attorneys and their clients. So, for example, when a person is wrongfully injured in an accident, my work shows the jury the extent of the injuries and their medical interventions. Illustrating trauma on a daily basis led me to wonder about the spiritual aspects of healing and inspired the Xray visions. It was well received and I was asked to speak at Duke and present a TedX talk in 2015 called “Mindful Creativity”.
MOFSA’s grant gave me full permission to explore spirituality in a way I had not done before. This year, I stopped worrying about using words like “intuition” and “feeling”. These impulses are a very real part of our humanity (and divinity) and when we acknowledge what they have to say, we can stop worrying that we haven’t thought of everything in our decision making process. This year I was invited to address the attendees of the Spiritist Medical Association in Miami and was blessed to learn about all the ways clinicians are acknowledging spirituality in therapeutic settings and at the bedside. On a personal note, this year I dealt with personal trauma, family illness and grief. I continue to find comfort in God and the deep, real, loving-kindness of my friends and family. Suffering can deepen our connection to Source if we let it.
As a result of these experiences, I have chosen to go back to school to learn more about the care of patients and their families in their times of greatest need. I will continue with my artwork and medical illustration but expect it to take on new dimensions as I move towards obtaining a degree in Nursing.
Jennifer McCormick, MA, CMI
Board Certified Medical Illustrator