Art Born
From Stillness

My art comes from a place that is very real to me. For a long time, there has been a lot of pain, hurt, anxiety, and a constant warzone inside my mind. OCD thoughts, intrusive thoughts, and anxiety attacks have badgered me in ways that are hard to fully explain. Years ago, I took a painting class only because I needed the credits. I had no idea I even liked art. But when I stood in front of a canvas, something changed. For the first time, my mind felt quiet. I felt peace. And from that moment on, I never really stopped painting.

For the last few years, life had felt better. But after an anxiety attack in January, it felt like everything I thought I had moved past came rushing back. The OCD, the fear, the pain, the constant "what ifs" and "did I do this" thoughts started attacking my mind again. From January to April, I went through some of the hardest months of my life. It felt like I was no longer living, only existing. No joy, no emotion, just a mind constantly trying to prove, solve, and escape things I could not find peace from.

Then one day, I had nothing left. I was sitting in the bathroom before meeting with my therapist, and I prayed, "God, I'm tired, and I don't know what to do. Speak Your truth into me." While I was sitting there, I heard the voice of God say, "Even if all of this was true, does My blood not have more power than this?" I told Him, "But I want to make sure in my mind that I didn't do all of these things." And I heard, "It has never been about you and your identity, but Mine. Everything is already finished, and you are free because of Me."

Since then, the chains have slowly been breaking. I am not here to say I am perfectly fine or that everything changed overnight. Every day, I still have to speak that truth over my life, and I believe that with time, God will continue to heal what has been broken.

My art is my story, but it is also for the people who do not know how to speak about theirs. So many people are fighting battles beneath the surface while only talking about the things that feel safe to say — work, stress, life, or the obvious problems. But deep down, many are carrying pain, fear, shame, anxiety, and thoughts they feel too afraid to admit. I want my work to help make those conversations normal. I want people to know they are not strange, broken, or alone for having a battle inside their mind. My paintings are meant to give language to the things people do not always know how to say, and to remind them that freedom, healing, and peace are still possible.