I am drawn to personal stories of transformation and the moment at which a person surrenders their previous self and embraces a new form. There is value in examining others’ search for hope in that which seems hopeless, and wisdom in observing the aesthetic of failure. It makes me a stronger person and better artist knowing that I am not the only one seeking out the light of truth in the darkest corners of life. I find collage to be the perfect representative for the process of transformation. By reusing and repurposing existing materials and equipment, I turn unwanted objects and trash into things of beauty, awareness, and education. I am interested in leaving a better world for those that come after me and yearn to start a vocabulary to inspire a better world.

I am inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence, All Oppression is Connected by Stacyann Chin, the recent equality victories and racially motivated domestic terrorism, and my own personal experiences being in an interracial marriage, to be an advocate for change. I am motivated to use my straight, white, male privilege to further love and equality through the use of my talents with analog and digital collage.

A passage from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speech Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence. King states that, “We must rapidly begin the shift from a “thing-oriented” society to a “person-oriented” society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.”

Stacyann Chin reminds us in All Oppression is Connected that in the struggle for equal rights, each victory is a small stepping stone and the war is far from being won and showing how we as a society have allowed these connections to thrive. I believe the lack of social education and empathy by the majority for those in the minority to be the reasons that discredit the idea of intersectionality and undermine the complexity of individuals’ lives thus turning minorities into disposable objects. I need to confront my privilege and use it to create a better community and person oriented society. We all need to acknowledge that these institutions must be changed and through change comes progress.