express myself

I think self-expression is really important. I’ve been attending this Compassionate Communication support group, also known as Nonviolent communication. So in that way, I’ve learned how to keep a temper in check. I still slip up a lot since I’m so new at it but I’m learning to try and not let myself get “triggered” by certain things and just kind of keep an objective view of a situation.

And slowly, I think I’m trying to be more assertive about how I feel and things that bother me. I still have a long way to go but it’s going.

i don’t think i express my opinion very much at all. I am usually very quiet and i just try to observe. but i don’t think people really get to know me that way and i don’t really get to know them. it would be a lot easier for me to figure out if people respected me and me them if i did.

also i think i just need to work on my opinion way more. taking things in and judging them for myself. i don’t do very well for some reason.

I’m not sure what to call it. mixed media. metallic sharpie, marker, collage, and craft thread on flip flops. I’ll be submitting them for a contest and could win $75 for coffee, along with other bits of prizes. it was more it keep myself creatively busy though.

I have come to a stage now where I have realised sitting there quietly non stop and bottling up doesnt help. I have so much going on in my life right now and it’s all so difficult. I have about 4 doctor appointments a week as well as a leaving cert to sit and a debs to organise and so much more.

But I’m making the effort now. I’m talking to people. I’m making a big effort with my parents. I had a conversation with my dad about my life for the first time ever. And although I know he couldn’t absorb a lot and couldnt believe some. Its such a big step

my final. I traced images from old medial scans of myself. with aquatint and colored pencil.

soft ground. the design came from the pattern of boots. after that was etched in the acid, soft ground and lace were applied. that then was etched.

photopolymer. a watercolor painting of mine was the source. with some of the other prints of this plate, I added watercolor, which made it look close to a mini version of the original painting itself.

aquatint. I like what the spray paint did to the plate, and how the ink was worked into parts. a flying seahorse with wings of a butterfly, inspired by a dream I remembered.

a reworking of the previous plate with scraping and burnishing.

intaglio line etch and watercolor.