Body
Starting at the end of my sophomore year I started to use my skin as a canvas for drawing maps of my experiences. Later I became intrigued by the idea of imprinting a pattern or drawing onto my skin. This investigation lead me to binding various things onto my body and restraining my movement. I have always been hesitant to find out where exactly this work is coming from. I am slowly allowing myself to discover the ways in which I bind myself everyday as well as all of the things in life which I feel constant pressure from. When I was on the Navajo reservation I learned that all of their religious ceremonies are centered on healing. I find their religious practice an interesting contrast to American culture which lives in the denial of how much pain and disharmony there is in life. This work comes my the personal healing process that I have developed for dealing with those scary emotions that seems to sneak up on us sometimes. Emotions tied to death, chronic illness, alcoholism, family ties and heavy expectations. After each ceremony I feel better, more relaxed and able to sleep. I am using my own body to provide the warm pressure of a hug. I am constantly exploring where this body of work originates. I generally clump all of my body photographs into one series when it really made up of multiples. Some are more violent, some are quiet, all are a part of my story.
