Artist Statement
Comfort in the Dark
Growing up, I came from a dysfunctional home. My parents fought with each other more often than they were kind to one another which sadly affected my brothers and I a great deal growing up. With being thrown into the middle of adult problems at a very young age, We were made to feel like mediators in a dying relationship. I often felt very alone as a child, not having many people who I was able to talk to and express all the struggles I was going through. I often turned to my stuffed toys for comfort. They were the friends I needed during hard times, someone I could vent my feelings and frustrations to with no judgement.
“Comfort in the Dark” is a series I made to express certain struggles from childhood. Each piece in this series depicts a faceless child coping with traumatic experiences with the help of their stuffed toy. The toy throughout my illustrations was inspired by my cat and emotional support animal, Penn, as he has become the newest support system in my life, similar to my toys when I was young. Raising children has never been an easy task, but my work is meant to highlight just how much the way parents act stick with their children while they grow.