My childhood memories are important to me because of the trauma, and the emotional suffering I've endured during my adulthood. My childhood was the last time I felt at peace. It was the last time I was carefree and mentally healthy, so it is vital for me to keep these memories and emotions alive. Focusing the positive memories in my artwork, has been a healing journey for me as it allowed me to reflect on my past and present. 

My paintings are a combination of acrylic paints with collage materials. They are 18X24 inches and are painted on canvas boards. The collage materials I work with can be described as “child-like” because when I think of materials such as friendship bracelet letters, pom-pom balls, and glitter, I think of them as pioneer materials that artists used when they were children. I work with these materials in my paintings because I want to channel an inner child within myself. I want to re-experience the carefree feeling I felt when I was a child. 

 My color palette consists of vibrant colors applied chaotically and sporadically throughout the canvas. Mark making is one of the challenges I had when creating this series, because I wasn’t used to letting loose with paint and being chaotic with lines. The marks I make in my paintings are fluid and free of thinking while still being playful. The colors I use are chosen depending on the memory I am doing a rendition of, as well as the emotion I feel when looking back at that memory. I add figures into my paintings by collaging in pictures from my childhood. When I recall a memory sometimes it is not always clear, and I can only remember bits of it. I create this feeling by adding in realistic parts into my painting by collaging in real photos of my family in my paintings. The process of creating these pieces is therapeutic to me because it allows me to reflect on the past and the present. This process is all about an internal release for me, versus an external presence.