Artist Statement

Since high school I have battled with mental health issues. After struggling in my first year of college, I found myself in a dark place. I was sleeping most of the day and up all night doing assignments. It was a vicious cycle of anxiety and no motivation to keep going. After that first year, I chose to return home so I could regroup. It was the first time in my life I struggled in school and I was scared to fall flat. I had lost all confidence and felt as though my life was over. I needed to find a solution that would propel me forward and help me regain confidence. In community college I fully immersed myself in the path I always came back to: ART. I learned how important it was to follow what you truly love and not let a failure control your life. Art saved me during dark times. It was my outlet to pour out the frustration, the hurt, the emptiness, everything I felt. I use my art as a space to show people they are not alone in their thoughts, feelings and mental illnesses they struggle with. My goal is to make a difference with my artwork by starting a conversation about mental health issues and letting others connect and feel heard.

My process usually starts with a basic sketch in plans of what my piece will look like and notes on how I want the piece to be presented. Upon taking a print media class in the Spring of 2024, I fell in love with relief printing as a new medium to explore in my artwork. For one specific piece titled Numb, I created a linoleum relief print with white ink and a variety of colored paper. Carving a relief print can take many hours and plenty of patience. There is a therapeutic aspect to this process as it fully engulfs my mind in each piece I carve away. Numb depicts two hands palm side up with scars on both wrists accompanied by the word “Numb” in a calligraphic font in the top right corner, as well as “you're still here” at the bottom left and right. I decided to use white ink as it would be neutral comparatively to the red and navy blue paper I was working with. I thoroughly plan out my pieces to ensure the meanings behind my art are received by the viewer.