I spent a really long time trying to write this. “What’s the point? It feels like I’m not even having a real show. Why even bother?” I said to myself. Then I just started writing about what I did. It still felt pointless.

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 Because my work is so personal, I felt like the cancellation of the physical art show became a cancellation of me, which meant that I didn’t matter and that I wasn’t important. I took this Covid pandemic so personally because I’ve battled my whole life with trying to find myself important. My whole existence has been at war with myself trying to find the truth with what I’ve been told and who I am whether these manifestations are positive, negative or lie somewhere in between. But, then I realized, I am important.

I.

Am.

Important.

I’ve been finding my self-confidence this year and my art has helped me with that. I knew from the very beginning I wanted to combine my body and soul. And so I did… again… and again… and again—until I found the best way to reveal both my body and soul. 

.      .      .

Each panel has a set of negative, neutral, or positive words hidden under layers of paint. These words have defined me as a person. These words are the truth. I have reclaimed what these words mean. These words have defined me into the person who’s manifested themselves before you. I painted, layer by layer, until every last inch of the words were covered. The words, the layers of paint, the finished creations are visual representations of the combination of my body and soul.