Artist Statement
Grief is a space held; a container for a void, held by strain and muscle. I want to invite into a space what prompts observers to respond to funeral procession headlights with a pause. I would like to consider how my personal griefs nestle in and reflect the collective grief necessary by ones who carry whiteness? How do we hold space for the impact of putting off grief for generations? How do I embody safety for grief? How is judgement and grief tied into growth and discernment? How do I embody leadership when grief tends to be infantilized in overculture?
Endless questions, Answer usually sits with me quietly waiting for me to find more connections for questions. What is an answer anyway? Lots of the time, Answer has been Grief in the years of transitioning and coming out (tm) and recognizing my neurodivergence---and the social implications thereof. The cultural and systemic response to the impact of this global pandemic is blatant evidence of a lack of tools and respect for grief, a denial of our own humanity.
I hold space for this.

Describe your goals for this residency and what you expect to work on while you’re here. What excites you about this opportunity, and how will you play a positive role in the residency?
During my time at this residency, I am working through making physical spaces holding ceremony for the transformation of grief, ie altar spaces, memorial installations; a personal and cultural veritas. With distance between the bodies of friends, I have become hyperaware of the physical spaces in my home occupied by the tangible objects signifying my loved ones' existence. Working with my neurotype's gravitation towards object permanence, the necessary reminder's of protection, acceptance, and connection are held in objects. My work will be two part--forming altar spaces and pursuing ancestral history of individual and communal grieving practices with the intention of forming my findings into illustrated zines.