This paper includes two main narrative strands--one personal and the other the result of the author's research with Joe, a member of an art class for people with HIV/AIDS in a local hospital. Both stories, Joe's and the author's, probe the mystery of disease, expression, and the search for coherence. The author's research and Joe's story weave together to not only explore the role of art in healing but also the role of the researcher in such enquiries.