Bye-Bye Winnie

 Winnie the Pooh has always been my comfort  character.  Growing up he was my go-to stuffie when I needed a snuggle and the book I’d lose myself in.  As I grow up he’s floating into the atmosphere, waving goodbye to the childhood me.  The bright neon shines through the clouds of my grown up life as a reminder that Winnie is never far away. Winnie remains in my mind  as a source of  inspiration and comfort and security. This mixed media piece uses digital art and photoshop, neon lights, and acrylic.

I created a pile of bananas representing the different groups of people I hang out with.   I’m portrayed as the purple polka dotted banana.  Is it ok to be unique  and stand out in the crowd?  Ah yes!.  And then some. We all need a little color and glitter and pizzaz.  I was inspired by works by Janet Fish and Andy Warhol. i used spray paint  to create this piece.

I love the proverb “If you give a someone a fish, you feed them for a day. If you teach someone to fish, you feed them for a lifetime.”

Having the skills and tools to be independent and launch their life ….it’s important for everybody.  Regardless of who you are - even if you have Down syndrome or Autism.

For this piece I wanted to create a landscape but in a unique way.  I used digital art and photoshop and photography to create this image. I wanted to portray myself in this piece so I started with a photoshoot of different body parts of myself..  I ended up using a photo of my tummy with water in my bellybutton. I then used photoshop to put it all together.

My friendships are very important to me.  My nightmare is that a friend you trust unexpectedly turns on you and shows you a side of them that is really jarring.

This Mickey mouse piece was inspired by Yayoi Kusama, Andy Worhal and Cindy Sherman. I admire these artists’ bold use of color, varied texture, and distorted perspective. The effect of a happy childhood character, with the twist of a scary contrast Is unexpected and jarring. 

Neurotypical people dazzle. This self portrait is a window into what my brain experiences with ADHD. I portray avoidance, anxiety, distraction and how my mind is always running. I completed this colorful brain inspired by Lucian Michael and Jerry Saville. Michael puts meaning into his art by making insecurity something beautiful. 

I’m fascinated by how life begins….I was created by my Mother, I am her, she is me.  I wanted to portray this relationship in reflection.  Here we are.  She is reflecting onto me as a person physically, emotionally and beyond.

For this piece  I used digital media and photoshop to create a photo of myself looking at my mom as a reflection while the background on her side is all photos of when she was my age and on my side the background is all photos of me. 

My Mom used to tickle me to bed quoting the early 19th century nursery rhyme “What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice and everything nice, That's what little girls are made of.”

Growing up I couldn’t get enough of the game Candyland.  I imagined myself climbing and scampering through a land made of sugar.   

Here is Amelia land.  Where I’ve recreated the journey of my life…. relabeling my milestones and leaving the future as a blank canvas yet to be filled in.

I used digital art, acrylics and real candy.