Works I Consider Most Representative of My Artistic Practice
the whole fucking package
2025
Mixed Media
12” x 9.5” x 2”
Devereux
2026
Paper collage
8.5” x 11”
My day at work earlier
Poem
confinedconstrained insidecan’t find myselfi’ve lost my mindno timeto thinkunwinda quick twist of the wristthe flex of his fisthe clenches his teethhe’s pissed.what did i miss?when he grabs at his shirtit ripsthe button slipsrolls out like a dimeand it’s only 9:00 am.amento the fallenthe brokenforgotten.the air feels staleit’s rottenand we’re rotting.she pleadswishing she could scream“i don’t want to anymore”laying defeated on the floor.behind closed doorswe’re dying.My Analysis
When assessing these documented works further, I noticed that the color blue, the use of collage and paper materials, the implementation of text, and diagonal lines within the composition recur among both pieces. In contrast, it seems as if I consistently avoid neutral color palettes and large-scale work. Upon viewing, a stranger would first notice the softness of the colors and imagery used alongside the romanticizations and representations of “love”. This perception is my primary goal when others first interact with my work - something first warm and inviting. These works come together, as they are a response to the experiences I had survived. However, they disagree in the medium involved - sculpture versus collage - as well as the overarching topic expressed - internal versus external realities.
Locating Myself
My artwork is reminiscent of work by Tracey Emin which exemplifies a “raw and confessional approach [that] poses profound questions on love, trauma, and autobiography” (Tate, n.d.-b). Emin works in a variety of mediums and utilizes text to support her themes on love and loss. Each piece appears beautiful at first glance due to the color palette and overall composition. Deep down, it's a more raw, real, and authentic representation of human emotion.
My work appears in the conversation of mental health - that it can feel debilitating and affect daily functioning, maintaining healthy relationships with oneself and others, and accomplishing one’s personal life goals. It argues against the stigmatization of mental health in that, as human beings, we feel emotions that can be overwhelming. To that end, it should be addressed just as seriously and as sincerely as any other physical or mental condition or illness that can impair one’s functioning and their strife to live a normal, healthy life.
References
Tate. (n.d.-b). Tracey Emin: A Second Life. Tate Modern Exhibition.