This collection was created during the first months of quarantine in Lafayette, Louisiana. My husband is a paramedic and when the governor asked for volunteers to serve  New Orleans, he, of course, was one of the first to volunteer. I found myself obsessed with keeping up with the news of the pandemic, all the while doing my best to teach special needs students. I experienced severe anxiety. The only way to control the anxiety and keep my sanity to teach via zoom was to begin breaking slates. Breaking slates with a hammer became my daily ritual, personal therapy, and ultimately my salvation. Layering these broken slates with encaustic and mixed media resulted in beautiful pieces of contemporary art. I crossed the threshold of fear and came out on the other side. I began to recognize that the layers represented the hills and valleys of life and by standing back and viewing it from a distance, I could appreciate the beauty within.

All original art is, on some level, a reflection of the artist.  My initial artwork was very dark, but through the creative process and my willingness to be vulnerable, the process of healing and letting go of the past began.  Little did I know that art would be my savior as this calming, creative process proved to be the healing balm for every single pain I have ever experienced. 

Early on, artists learn that imperfections are part of the creative process, but for one who grew up with a bar of perfection set so high, embracing this process was a challenge.  Having my exterior assessed and valued more than my interior…my heart, my thoughts, my soul…it was left up to me to believe in my core worth and to trust in my importance as a child of God.

My residency with Michael David at M. David Studio in Brooklyn, New York established my healing path. His words, “Close your eyes and just throw it on, then get the broom and sweep over it”.  Michael had no idea that the items he was asking me to throw were precious and sentimental….flower petals from my wedding, rosary beads from my grandmother, and pieces of crushed glass from memories past.  Another artist, Belen Millan, who lives in Spain, encouraged me to use a blow dryer to blow my precious items all over my artwork.  As I scattered my special treasures over all my artwork lying on the floor, my heart began to pound as if to say “thank you for freeing me!”

This transformative process of letting go has changed all aspects of my life.  Working with special needs students, I have learned to persevere and to never give up.  The obstacles they face each day give me courage to continue my own journey of stepping through the portal of darkness further into the light and, for this, I am forever grateful.