Complicated

This self-portrait composite series expresses the varied themes of identity and how complicated our inner selves can feel when filled with a mixture of positive and negative emotions at once.

I set out to explore and express my feelings of simultaneous joy, gratitude, and sadness during a time of mental exhaustion and fatigue. Processing these emotions through self-expression and portraiture helped me to understand that positive and negative emotions can exist at the same time and that acknowledging each emotion, giving it space to be what it is instead of fighting to change it gave me power over my mental state.