Born and raised in the Sutherland Shire in Sydney Australia, I had a wonderful childhood surrounded by my loving family and the love of God. I was an active and eager kid, however in 2012 at the age of 9, I began to present with what would later be diagnosed as Psoriasis, a painful autoimmune condition. Little did young me know this was the beginning of a long and painful struggle as a girl with Chronic Illness.

In 2018, at the ripe age of 14 I was diagnosed with Raynauds. whilst irritating, it was a rather simple fix; wearing a ski jacket, gloves and beanie at all times to keep my body warm.

 Though frustrating and inconvenient, this would soon become the least of my problems. 

In 2019, I began to feel strong aches and pains throughout my body and realised I could no longer do the activities I once loved. I was diagnosed with Connective Tissue Disease and Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis at 15. It became very clear to the doctors that I had a rather self destructive immune system, resulting in the accumulation of many autoimmune diseases. Mentally, I have always felt like an 80 year old woman, but my body was quickly following suit. With Raynauds, CTD and RA in tow, I was known to most around school as the short girl in the ski jacket (which in Australia, is quite an odd sight).

In the summer of 2019, I began to feel intense fatigue and body aches like never before. Initially, I assumed it was the result of one of my other illnesses, however I trusted my gut and went to the doctor. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.

By age 16, I already had 4 chronic illnesses/autoimmune diseases and was struggling immensely physically, emotionally and mentally. However, an often undiscussed side effect of a life with chronic illness is the social impact. Unable to relate to my peers' interests and problems, I began to feel isolated. 

I went about a year without acquiring anymore serious illnesses, and finally began to feel somewhat stable in my life.... then came 2020.....

It was May of 2020, I was 17 and completing year 11. My classmates were starting to go back on site to school after nationwide lockdowns and virtual learning when, as if a switch were flicked, I became more ill than I had ever previously been in my life and ever have been to this date. I was diagnosed with severe Ulcerative Pan colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease which, in my case, affected the entirety of my large intestine. From first symptom to diagnosis was about 3 months, during which discussion about the removal of my bowel was mentioned. I had barely attended school as I could barely leave the house and, for the most part, was completely abandoned by friends my age. It became apparent that the teenage mind, regardless of gender or religion, was too immature to empathise and understand the struggles of which they had not personally endured. 

And through all of this ordeal, I found solace and true happiness in art. In a time of great difficulty, the Lord had blessed me with the ability to express and lose myself in the world of drawing and painting. Due to my RA, I cannot do many activities taken for granted by most, like simply writing a letter by hand or even peeling a pumpkin, without pain. Yet by the grace of God, the one thing I could do for countless hours without so much as a niggle of pain, was draw or paint. 
  

Finally in November of 2020, My health had won the battle between it and my education and I made the difficult decision to leave school. It was a time of great uncertainty, but there was one thing I wholeheartedly knew within myself... I wanted to be an artist. I wanted to do the one thing that has never caused me physical pain, the one thing I feel I was born to do, I wanted to make use of the ability God had blessed onto me, I wanted to regain my life.

And I did.

In 2021 (with the undying support of my parents), Lani Amelia Fine Art was born. A brand that represented strength and passion, a brand that would allow me to express all that I'd been through and share it with the world, was finally a reality. 

I have so much planned for the future of my art, so many ideas just busting to come to life and I can't wait to show you all. So thank you for listening to my story and helping make my dream become a reality.

- Lani Amelia