Artist Statement:

This series was created during the spring of 2021. Themes of nature, cycles, rebirth, personal growth, and celebration of self are strongly present in this body of work. These paintings and the process of creation were inspired by my own path to finding self-love and acceptance, through celebration of my queerness and neurodiversity.

I used butterfly imagery in several of these pieces; to me, they symbolize metamorphosis, freedom of self-expression, as well as the inherent changes and fluidity we go through in life. Structural change, seasonal change, both within and outside of myself, have presented a significant emotional challenge for me to accept and move through. A way for me to deal with this has been to tune in to nature and observe how it reflects its patterns in my own mind and body. Embracing my vivid imagination and rekindling my inner child have been integral to the process of creating this series. It has been a reminder of being called to the present during life’s turbulence and finding stillness and peace in meditation and nature. I wanted to express how it feels to come out of the cold dark winter and into the light of spring.

The playfulness in the process of creating this work really helped me to embody these themes. I wanted to explore combining different processes to create texture, using both thick application of acrylic paint as well as synthetic resin, and embracing my love of illustration and symbolic imagery. I want my personal journey of finding love and acceptance for myself to inspire others to do the same.