Artist Statement
I am both a sculptural artist and a mental health activist. I am not one more than the other, but understand myself as one and the same. My personal narrative is not distinctly necessary for my work's formal comprehension or individual interpretation; however, to know my story in connection to the visual work I produce proposes a more profound relationship between conversations of mental health, trauma, and recovery.
Implementing materials discarded by society, my work stresses a symbolic parallel to individuals ostracized and similarly thrown away as they are labeled 'broken and unworthy' by their societal counterparts. Transcending an object beyond its material function and mundane existence, I invoke a quizzical observation of the unforeseen value of what we, as a society, consider useless. Applying these ideologies to the context of individuals facing mental illness, I emphasize prevalent stigmas, misinformation, and detrimental biases that still exist concerning mental health challenges.
My process is labor-intensive, requiring copious mental and physical endurance. My sentiment is that the arduous undertaking behind my work equitably reflects the gravity and detriment of the topics I address. For myself, the operation in which I work becomes imperative in managing my complex understanding of the world around me and, therefore, is crucial to my survival. The toilsome approach to my practice is a means of necessary catharsis, and through the physical integration of my body in my work, I have found healing.