Artist Statement

With the uproar of mental illness in the news, my art takes on the battles I am forced to face in silence. Many of the pieces I create make it easier to express myself without using words no one would listen to anyway. Turning the problem into an object forces the viewer to see what words cannot express. The media talks about mental illness as a negative thing, yet I challenge that stereotype to show the beauty behind some of the pain. I put my vulnerability on the floor to show people how it really feels behind the shade known as "mental illness." Through the negative I force out the positive yet explosive creativity my irregular brain wiring creates. The world I see is a beautiful and chaotic place I cannot keep to myself. Even the good days bring joyous creativity. My hope in creating these works is not only to bring peace to myself, but also to help someone else on a similar path. If I can open the eyes of those who are struggling, maybe I can change the view of mental illness and show the world that we are not ill but a group of beautiful people who see a world outside the standard view placed on us by society.