LOST IN THE LETTERS

Imagine peering into the pages of a book with an understanding of the fundamentals of the English language, but as you look down not a single thing makes sense to you.  As a child that was my reality. I wanted to read so badly.  Library day at school was one of my favorite school days, but that night brought anxiety, self-doubt, and anger. Why could I not get it? Why did it look like chaos on the page when I tried to make out the words?  The diagnosis I received brought light into what was a black hole for me.  It was Cognitive Developmental Dyslexia.

With the help of reading specialists, phonics teachers and hours upon hours of repetition and the constant use little tricks to help my brain, I started to make sense of the pages in front of me.

This series of artwork is meant to express the images I saw as a child and honestly sometimes still see today.  The canvases first have pages from well-known books applied to the surface and then layers and layers of paint is added and then wiped away to hide and camouflage their words and meanings.  Next, I use many different mediums to apply the chaos and movement of lines in a methodical way, turning the canvas periodically to add additional layers of dimension.  Applying spiral after spiral and depth to the work draws your eyes busily around the canvas as they search for stillness, reprieve and familiarity.  Unfortunately, you can’t find it just as I struggled to do as a child, simply seeking understanding of the pages and words.