About the Cover Artist: Dripping Orchid Dreams by Gretchen Steele

Gretchen Steele, a lifelong resident of Southern Illinois and an award-winning writer and photographer, has been living with multiple sclerosis (MS) for over 20 years. Following a particularly severe MS relapse early in her disease course, Gretchen’s physical and occupational therapists encouraged her to utilize art therapy in her recovery. This is when Gretchen began to explore photography more seriously.

Throughout her MS journey she has found great solace in creating various works of art. Although photography is her primary medium, she recently began exploring the new and emerging creative side of AI-generated artwork known as “synthography.” Gretchen utilizes the Midjourney platform, which is a generative AI tool that creates images based on text prompts. As someone living with MS, she understands that our brains often process things differently. Synthography allows her to combine her love of storytelling, poetry, art, and photography into a single creative outlet. In addition, her work as a freelance writer, photographer, and artist enables her to find meaning and steady work within the confines of disability. “It’s wonderful to be able to produce my art writing when my MS allows; and since it’s freelanced, during the more difficult periods of my disease process, I can solely focus on my health. This has been a great fit for me,” said Steele.

Gretchen has received awards from the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers (AGLOW) and Missouri Outdoor Communicators (MOC) for her photography. She was also inducted into the 2023 Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame for her contributions to conservation communication, storytelling and conservation photography. Her work has been widely published and was featured in the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America’s (MSAA) Art Showcase.

Gretchen’s artwork can be viewed on her website, https://steelephotoservices.com. Additional information about the MSAA can be found at https://mymsaa.org/