Interview with Annie
Q: Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your experience with the arts?
I am currently a third-year neurology resident at U of T. In terms of the arts it was something I've always done growing up as a kid. I always drew a lot, and then, because of my interest in drawing, my parents signed me up for art lessons. I did that for most of my childhood, although I will say that I did not enjoy drawing at that time - it seemed just like work to me. Only once I got engaged with drawing fanart and comics did I enjoy drawing. I started drawing a lot more and using all of my art experiences to create the art I wanted to create.
Q: Could you tell us a bit more about the kind of art that you do?
I really enjoy digital art. The main reason is that there's a lot of freedom in having different tools, and different colors. There are also ways to edit the piece, whether it's using control-Z to undo a line multiple times or adjusting sizes of characters with the tools available.
I think my style can be described as simple and a little bit childish. I enjoy creating digital comics and webcomics whenever possible.
Q: Do you notice a running theme to the type of work that you create and tend to be more passionate about?
I started off drawing fanart, and that was the big thing that got me into art. I was really into Doctor Who, which is a TV series about a time-traveling alien in a Police Box and I used to draw Doctor Who fan art every single day - I wouldn't go to bed unless I drew something from the show. From there, I got into other comics, like Marvel and DC. From the artists who drew Marvel and DC comics, to those involved in Doctor Who, they inspired me and I think they made me more passionate about making art.
Now, being in medicine, I am trying to apply that passion in creating medical illustrations or creating comics to tell patient narratives.
Q: You mentioned that you draw a lot of comics. Could you describe your process of creating comics?
I think the beginning part of making a comic is always - you have to have an idea. An idea that resonates with you and that you're passionate about. Like if you share something special with a patient and you're just like - this is a very really powerful moment, I wish I could share this with the rest of the world.
I'm not someone who's very good at writing, but I can imagine what I want to see drawn. So from there, I sketch different drafts of what I want to convey. How do I convey the message? How can I allow the reader to understand my mind or the patient’s mind? From there, making a comic is more of just a process of trying new ideas. Once I've decided on an idea, I need to turn it into reality. The process of making a comic can be very onerous. Having an idea is great, but unless you take the time to sit down and draw everything out, you won't have a finished product. That's the hardest part, I think - just finding the time to sit down and work on it. But until you actually sit down and create it, no one else will get to see your idea. So, you have to put your nose to the grindstone and don't look up until you're done.
Q: You mentioned you eventually began creating your own characters, your own creative worlds. Do you feel like you've grown in other ways since you started creating art?
That's a really hard question to answer. I don't know if I have a good answer for that, but I will say that I find that the arts are a great way that has helped me learn to reflect.Sometimes the best way to reflect is to translate that voice in your head to paper and pencil, and then see it reflected back like, “Oh, this is what I meant” or “Oh, this is how I felt at the time!”
Parts of medicine can be very challenging and stressful. Taking a step back and reflecting really helps you understand the situation and teaches you a lesson, like, “Oh, maybe I could have been a better communicator here”, or “Oh, I should’ve done this thing differently”. It’s a way to document what happened I suppose, so I don’t forget what I’ve gone through.
Q: Do you have any advice for anyone who is starting out in the arts?
I think the best advice I would ever give is to just do it. It's one thing to say, “I want to make comics”, and another thing to actually do it. I would say the most useful thing that has helped my art to grow is learning the importance of turning drawing into a habit. You don't have to be the greatest artist, but you have to draw. The more you draw, the more experience you get and the better your art will get. Sure, it may not be amazing at first but to climb a ladder, you begin at the bottom. Then, when you look back, you notice - wow! How much you’ve grown. My art has gotten so much better as I learned all these new things along the way, like making the comic read more easily, or changing the way you tell a story. It's hard to see it at the moment, but when you look back you really see how much you've grown.
Q: When we look at our own work there are always so many things we want to change and improve. I feel like it can be hard to motivate yourself when you are critical of yourself. Do you have any advice on how to overcome self-criticism?
The one thing that really helps me is that it doesn't matter if the work is bad, you just have to create it. Even if you think it’s not good enough, someone else may not see it the same way. There will always be criticism, no matter what you make or don’t make. But it’s better to make something than nothing; because eventually there'll be something you hit that's like - Aha! This is exactly what I want to make! I don't think we should be aiming for perfection. We should be aiming for “finished”, because only when something is done can we say, “okay, we've made this, let's go to the next thing” and then the next thing might be even better. It may not be perfect, but you will be walking towards your goal in the end.
Q: It's kind of like building a staircase - you can't build the next step without the step before it. I'm wondering if you have a project in mind that it's like your favorite project, or one that means the most to you.
One of my more recent projects that I really enjoyed making was a comic that I worked on with Dr. Peter Giacobbe, who is a psychiatrist. He gave a lecture about interventional psychiatry, so therapies like electroconvulsive therapy and deep brain stimulation. In the past, I thought that ECT was terrifying - you're shocking someone's brain! But I learned about how it can make a big difference in people's lives. Oftentimes, the media tells us that ECT is dangerous, like in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest or The Bell Jar. But I wanted to create a comic to convey the message that ECT isn’t dangerous, that it can change lives. I wanted to turn my knowledge of ECT into something visual, in a media-like format, so that I can reach a wider range of audiences and teach them about a procedure that can be life-changing for many patients. And thus, I made a comic about it haha.
Q: How has your experience with the arts influenced the way you practice medicine? What about vice versa?
In terms of how medicine has influenced my art, I do find that before I was someone who just loved drawing fan arts and things that made people smile and laugh; I enjoyed connecting with other fans and just sharing the love of particular characters I liked from Dr. Who, for instance. But now I find that my experience in art has become a way for me to convey the knowledge I gain from medicine and translate it into something that can not only make people smile and laugh, but also help people learn. Now, I find myself drawing things that have really resonated with me during medical school, and hopefully, my work will resonate with other people as well.
Q: I also love how art teaches us to observe, which is a crucial skill in medicine. What are your thoughts on that?
Yes, for sure. In undergrad, I was involved in a project that focused on how the art of seeing, which was the ability to carefully analyze and describe a painting, could be translated into better observational skills in medical practice, like looking at a rash or observing non-verbal language of a patient. So that's something that people do benefit from art.
Q: You have made a lot of contributions to building artistic communities in Medicine, such as organizing a workshop series called Brushstrokes in Medicine. I’m wondering what you believe is the value of community in art.
I share my fanart a lot with the online community and that’s where I met so many good friends and mentors who taught me tricks of the trade. It's impossible to do anything alone, and that's the same for drawing or making comics. Having a community means you have someone that you can share your excitement with about a project. It means that you can share your ideas or run an idea by someone who can give feedback and critique your work. Sometimes seeing other people working and seeing what others create can also inspire you. When you have people who share the same passion and ideas, you're able to bounce those ideas off each other to make your work better.
Q: In your own journey in the arts, do you feel like you have had mentors or role models along the way?
I would say Gale Galligan is a mentor and a friend I’ve met as I started making comics. I reached out to her, and she offered to mentor me, because she knew that I don't come from a comic background but wanted to share my medical knowledge through comics. She taught me everything I know about comics; giving me suggestions on the comics I was making and resources to learn how to tell an effective story! So she was pivotal to my growth.
Q: This is a more general question, but what is the most important lesson that you’ve learned from your creative journey as it relates to your life and career?
One of the most important things I've learned is that art keeps me well. Art has always been a way for me to relax and to get into this ‘flow zone’. I'm never tired when I’m drawing. Throughout medical training, the hours get longer; there’s always more to learn, to know. I find that keeping myself well by drawing helps me take a step back from the hustle and bustle of normal life; it helps me go back to my roots and keeps me excited about the future. Medicine can take away a lot of your time and your energy, but if you want to be creative and keep that part of you, you should make time for it, because in the end it will keep you well and keep you happy.
Q: Do you have any personal goals in the arts for the future? Where would you like to see it take you?
Currently I’m working on a children's book about epilepsy with Dr. Esther Booy. The main purpose of this children's book is to allow mothers with epilepsy to start conversations about their conditions with their children; to bring their illness ‘out of the shadows’ while bonding with their children at the same time. Hopefully this book will be published soon!
Q: Have you published any other works?
Yes, I’ve published a few works in journals and anthologies, such as the recent Covid Chronicles anthology, but I’ve also published some works alongside Doctor Who which made me really happy as a Doctor Who fan haha.
Q: I’m wondering if you have any last words of advice to anyone reading this who is interested in pursuing the arts to some degree.
One of the best pieces of advice I've ever read is from Robert Downey Jr: you must learn to put your nose to the grindstone for years and not look up, no matter how much rejection is heaped on you. I think that's an important message because to do anything, whether it's in medicine or it's an art, you just have to put the work in, and eventually you'll get to reap the rewards of your hard work. It's always hard to find time to do art, because there's always something else that takes priority, whether it's studying for an exam, or applying for CaRMS. It's tough in medical school because learning all this material for the first time is really hard, so it’s easy to drop hobbies and other passions because of how busy it can be. I wish I could say, “oh, you just have to do this, and then things will be better”, but well, it’s a matter of trying different things to see what works for you. But it is possible. Find some time to engage with the arts, whether it’s a little bit every day or all at once after an exam - if you put a little bit of time in, you’ll be able to find the time to pursue the arts.
