Artist Maria Sammartino harnesses an intimate relationship with abstraction to create dynamic paintings rich with color. After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Sammartino explores the personal, often ugly side of the disease and its effects on the human body.

Using a loose, all-over approach, the artist conjures up a range of moods and emotions just as she physically loses control of her own body. Peaceful, hypnotic and at times biting, the work reveals a fragile relationship between human consciousness and the futility of physical control.