I would here like to take a break from my usual vague forlorn posts about things long in the past. So much of my artwork is about the ways humans hurt one another physically and emotionally. Those who go through trauma do not finish suffering after the last blow is dealt or the abuser exits. Those words and actions live with us. Those scars maybe never fully heal. While I strive to be more than my trauma, I know that it is part of me and a burden that both I and my loved ones must deal with.

It is baggage that makes it harder for me to approach others. For fear of being hurt like that again. And it makes others less keen on getting close to me. It is true what they say about damaged goods.

So, today I want to celebrate artists who support one another and champion one another. Those who proudly say that you can be valid and damaged. I got the opportunity to have my work featured on the cover of an artist run magazine called Bitter Zine. This magazine broaches topics of mental illness and recognizes the worth in artists who may not have elsewhere been given a voice.

Today I am grateful.