Through my work, I aim to promote conversations about mental wellness, stigma, and how we view healing practices over time. I often utilize humor and satire to lighten the heavy subject matter and encourage dialogue among viewers. My work explores medium to large-scale sculptures such as full-size, tile-based hospital gowns and coil-built fountains that emphasize the sense of touch and repetition. The technique of coil building enables me to quiet my own racing thoughts, channel my idiosyncrasies, and harken back to the historical context of the repetitive ‘treatments’ patients endured that only subdued ailments rather than curing them. I find it important to discuss the mistreatment of mentally ill individuals historically in the medical field while also poking fun at the current state of the mental health industry. I take inspiration from the bizarre and often ineffective practices that were implemented on individuals and I shed light on these inhumane treatments through my work. I allow my own experiences and frustrations dealing with mental illness to act as the primary reason to continue to research and bring awareness to the incredibly flawed system that people must navigate to feel remotely ok.
