“Growth”

​The current body of work is called “Growth,” this body of work takes a look at growth through life and how I have grown through seasons of depression and isolation. This is, of course, my artist's way of handling the feelings of Covid and major changes in 2021-2022. It was a lengthy time of depression and anxiety for me, but it was also a rediscovery of who I am in Christ and what my place is in my new city of Cleveland, Ohio. I found roots in a church and a new love of houseplants. 

Houseplants are my subject matter because who doesn’t like plants, quality air, and joy! 🙂 The houseplants are depicting the growth I had personally and in my business. This body of work depicts houseplants taking over the world in an apocalyptic environment as well as all types of plant growth mixed with bible verses. The apocalyptic works represent the depression and isolation that then gets filled and oversaturated over time by houseplants or growth and progress. It expresses the uselessness and destruction of our human creations,  inventions, and our inability to avoid sinning. Like a rusty door covered in overgrown plants, the power and eternal perspective of God and the heavenly places swallows up and covers the sin and destruction. This compares my growth spiritually to the overgrown beautiful houseplants and, in this, their ability to destroy isolation. The plants show the power of Christ's love and the overwhelming feeling of knowing God is for us and always fighting with us. During this tough time of isolation in Covid and the loneliness of a new home, Christ reached out for me and brought light and joy back into my life. This new life is depicted with the houseplants in the artwork, and that's just the surface of the concept.

Now post Covid and after marriage and spending years developing this body of work, it has followed a natural progression of a concept. The houseplants now depict the growth and progress of life with God against the world that tears down. A world and life affected by chronic illness and discouragement with joy and peace amongst the hardest times This body of work has become a testimony of my life and all the ups and downs because as Ecclesiastes 3 says, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:” This means there is purpose God will bring out of every bad thing or season the devil pushes for and that we will be continually shaped into our Jesus-like character despite the difficulties that come from life, the devil’s distractions, or satan’s encouragement of our sins.