Trauma/No More Room

This piece was taken from a series of black and silver images that I created when I was ill, in the early 2000s. I was chronically ill at the time and I needed ways to pass the time, so I began drawing. I enjoyed drawing with silver ink, so creating on black paper was a natural choice for me. The dramatic sense I get with this image is stunning to me, and I think it speaks to the feelings I had at the moment of struggling with my health--both mentally and physically--and the profound impact it had on my life.

This image reflects my hard work in therapy and its affects on my psyche. I had severe depression and anxiety and it influenced every part of my life. My self worth had disintegrated, as did my feeling of importance in the world. I could barely get out of bed, and to top it off, I was experiencing chronic pain. It was debilitating, and so was my lack of focus. I became suicidal. It was only through my sheer determination and the love from my Mom that I blossomed into the person I am today.

I've since become a writer, and this has enriched my life immensely. I'm working on an arts grant right now, which will culminate in a series of images that outline my history of trauma. I'm moving past my difficulties and emerging as a much more positive person, who is resilient, respectful of the differences in all of us, and a compassionate human being, ready to help others.