The work speaks for the artist’s inability to properly express anything linguistically, verbally, or conversationally outside of the visual representation. The artist decides to allow the viewer to decide the judgement and interpretation of the work.
I do not consider my work to be about trauma, but it is based around it. Writing artist statements have always been difficult for me. I had previously thought I had to be rather be academic and philosophical to allow an open ended and inviting approach to an audience.
I do consider my work to be about life and about my experience as a human. It is an abstract, diaristic approach to talk about the things I find difficult to be vulnerable about.
In 2010, I fell 5 stories through an abandoned building and was left in a medically induced coma for 10 days. I woke up to learn that I almost died, my femurs were broken, I lost all hearing in my right ear, and the last 10 days of memory I had were all hallucinations. That experience resulted in complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder with previously diagnosed Bipolar II disorder.
I found abstraction as a way to comfort and deal with these things. I found painting and mixed media as a mindful approach to deal with overwhelming thoughts. I know it is not just me that has gone through the confusing nature of life. In fact, I know I am lucky to not have suffered as hard as others have.
However, I cannot shake the fact that we all deal with these atrocities that surround us, no matter how small or large. The hopes of my work are not just to serve as my diaries and therapy, but to allow for a discussion for each and everyone of us to admit that things are hard, and even harder to explain.