during the COVID-19 pandemic, I experienced the loss of more than
50 friends, family members, former co-workers,
college debate partners, high school classmates,
former roommates, and one ex

one person every 5 to 10 days

my story is not unique
in the isolation I turned to art
to process grief
to escape the confines of my home
to pass the time
and to document my experience

what happened next
I was not expecting

artists I have spoken with
have a common thread
a moment of confirmation
long before anyone else knows
when we whisper to ourselves
"I am an Artist"

that moment arrived for me in 2022
after months of exploration
and making really really ugly art (imo)
this appeared

I credit this painting, and its accompanying poetry, as
my first painting
when I knew I had a creative voice
and something to say