The 3 outlined paintings are part of an ongoing visual discussion of “Headspace” and the unique feelings connected with dissociation, an undertaking I began in the summer of 2024. Ever since I was a child my mind has, metaphorically, had a mind of its own. From spacing out at the table, to feeling “transported” to different places, or simply feeling nonexistent altogether, “dissociation” of varying degrees is something I find glaringly familiar in my everyday life. 

 

Through this I’ve learned two things. Firstly, “headspace” does not define character. To this day I still can’t anchor my mind in the present as much as I wish I could, but I have also come to accept that there’s no “correct” way to experience reality. Instead of trying to drown out what I see and feel, I can turn it into something tangible and even beautiful, which is what I wanted to pursue through my work. This led me to the second of my realizations: while others may not be able to split my head open and peer inside, many have had experiences akin to mine, providing me both emotional solidarity and inspiration for my own work in portraying dissociation’s manifestations. Our minds are so intrinsically unique, and each person’s brain presents feelings in different ways, which sparked me to hear and visualize the thoughts of those around me. This introspective experience has left me with both an artistic concept and an investigation of craft, while simultaneously leading me through an investigation of “self” and the mysteriously macabre brains that rest inside of our skulls.