Here you’ll find a collection of my creative projects shaped by healing, growth, and personal transformation. Though many could be categorized as visual art, I’ve gathered them in this creative wellness space to honor the intention and inner work behind them.
Is it me?
Mask made from clay, paper mache and paint.
I sculpted this mask with clay and paper mache. Throughout the process, it ended up taking the form a character in a dream I had at the beginning of my Cancer diagnosis. I’ve titled this mask “Is it me?” as the dream remained with me, and during my waking hours living in the nightmare of Cancer, I continually wondered about this character in the dream, and if indeed, it was me.
In the future I will explore this dream further through expressive arts.
Mask Family
Masks: tissue paper, glue, feathers, yarn. pipe cleaners, jewels.
I made these three masks over three different group therapy sessions I facilitated at The Gatehouse.
They ended up becoming a series, and a family, of different parts of myself, the Mother, (middle) and her two children. They represent my inner child(ren), and my inner mother, my maternal side, nurturing the inner children within me.
Madame Grief
Mask: paint, glitter, sand, jewels.
This mask I made to represent what I believed the face of grief to look like, beautiful, colourful, magical. I’m committed to this idea that grief is all of these things, and is a privilege, as it is the cost of true love.
At least this is my experience with my grief. Perhaps for others, grief is none of those things.
But when Madame Grief showed up at my door, in memory of my Father, this is what she looked like.
Lights of Eternal Sacrifice
Mixed Media Prop Design
I made these lights as part of my second year studio presentation, In The Realm of Love and Healing.
They were to represent the parts of myself I had to let die, in order to survive Cancer.
Crisis
Acrylic Painting on Paper
This is an acrylic painting I made during an expressive arts studio weekend in my exa therapist training program. I explored an image I had held in my mind for over a year, of my body being carried over the Earth, wrapped in light.
The song is a poem I wrote called “Bring Me Home”, which explores the same subject, of having to travel from China to Canada, alone, with stage 4 Cancer, amidst a global pandemic.
Spirit of Death
Mixed Media on Canvas
I made mixed media piece to honour the experience I had encountering the Spirit of Death in my Cancer journey. I found this spirit to be kind, compassionate and comforting.
Memory Cocoon
Quilted Textile Art
I made these quilts for my second-year studio presentation In The Realm of Healing. I used many old t-shirts, from concert t-shirts, to work uniforms, or shirts from former partners. The idea was that I was wrapping myself in my life’s memories for deep rest, and in the process healing from these memories with the intention of creating new memories.
Movement
Movement is an experience which allows me to relax, regulate and relieve stress. It helps me feel alive, free, and feel liberated in my muscles and bones. Movement helps me connect my body with my mind and spirit. I am drawn to practices such as ecstatic dance, qi gong, hula hooping, swimming, aquafit and walking in the presence of trees. Movement is my medicine and a path home to myself.
Handpan
I’ve been taking handpan lessons, an instrument I’ve long been fascinated by. As a child, I learned to play the piano, and in some ways the handpan feels familiar, yet completely different at the same time. I enjoy learning new things, and the language of music helps my brain feel engaged and alive.
Roller-skating
I started learning to roller-skate, something I had never done before. It’s both terrifying and exhilarating, and every small success feels monumental. For me, roller-skating has become a powerful way to meet fear directly, learning how to stay present, breathe, and keep moving.