Navigating the World with a Rare Disability and Advocating for Accessibility in the Arts with Maria Sweeney

Author of graphic memoir Brittle Joints

Maria Sweeney in her natural environment.

Introducing Maria Sweeney 

I am beyond honored to introduce Maria Sweeney to the Tomatokind community.

Maria is a Moldovan-born, Bay Area-based illustrator, author, and comic artist who lives with Bruck syndrome, an extremely rare condition that gives her very brittle bones and joint abnormalities. This July, Maria will release her debut graphic memoir, Brittle Joints, represented by literary agent Meg Thompson and published by Street Noise Books. This lush novel illustrates Maria’s experience living with a progressive disability, and her lifelong battle to obtain care within the complex, disheartening, and oftentimes indifferent American healthcare system. With each chapter of struggle (and there are many), though, Maria also finds and shares her liberation through chosen family, friendship, art, a loving community, alternative therapies including medical marijuana, and the natural world. 

In addition to self-published works, Maria’s comics have been published in Fantagraphics, The Comics Journal, and Front Line Defenders’ Cypher Comics. She won an Outstanding Submission in the 2019 Locher Memorial Awards for her educational mini-comic The Straw Ban, and is also the illustrator of the children’s book The Scooter Twins by Dorothy Ellen Palmer. Maria graduated from Moore College of Art and Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in illustration. She works in digital, oil, watercolor, pen, and pencil.

As an artist with a lifelong disability and who is an ambulatory wheelchair user who struggles every day to live in an inaccessible world, Maria uses her voice and art to advocate for accessibility. 

In this short feature, Maria shares more in her words (and art). 

Cover of Brittle Joints by Maria Sweeney.

---

What are your deepest convictions in your community? 

Maria: I am incredibly passionate about mutual aid, community care, accessibility, and inclusion for everyone, especially my disabled community. This year, I have debuted my first graphic novel Brittle Joints and children’s book project The Scooter Twins, both which center the disabled experience.

Could you share some excerpts from these recent works? 

Maria: Here are pages from Brittle Joints and The Scooter Twins. 

Pages from Brittle Bones, a graphic memoir by Maria Sweeney about navigating life with a progressive disability.

Cover and Page from The Scooter Twins, a children's book Maria Sweeney illustrated about twins with opposite personalities getting mobility devices for the first time.

How can folks learn more about your creative process and explore your other works? 

Maria: The community can view excerpts of my published works on my website (mariasweeney.com), and also follow me on social media (@moldovamaria) to see where my journey continues. 

I also have a Patreon where folks can see my behind-the-scenes process of creating a graphic novel, children’s book and other illustrations, and sketchbook previews. 

---

Dear readers, I hope you’ll join me in picking up a copy of Maria’s amazing graphic memoir Brittle Joints (available for pre-order).

Dear Maria, thank you for lending me an early copy of this stunning piece of art and allowing me to experience your touching and soulful writing and illustrations. I was raptured the whole way through and have no doubt that your story will touch and educate many hearts and minds.