Each year, we feature the work of artists affected by multiple sclerosis in our annual MSAA Art Showcase, including highlighting one artist each month as our Artist of the Month. This month, we are proud to feature artist Omayra Rivera-Filardi of Bridgeport, CT:
![Omayra Rivera-Filardi artwork entitled "Unfiltered"](https://msaablog.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Rivera-Filardi-Omayra-Unfiltered-731x1024.jpg)
About the Artist
“In 2010, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, my second autoimmune illness while 6 months pregnant. As an artist and Visual Arts teacher, I immediately noticed that I could not see the color red or the saturation of color from my right eye. I foolishly thought that I was having a relapse from the Myasthenia Gravis; it wasn’t.
Art will always be my guiding light through the darkness that often fills my vision when I relapse. It enables me to cleanse myself spiritually from the dark thoughts and emotions that are often overlooked by people with MS.”
Read more and see additional works from Omayra Rivera-Filardi and others at mymsaa.org/artshowcase.