Art

"It Takes a Village" is a mixed media piece on display at the Rundle Community Association in Calgary, AB from June 2025 to October 2025. This piece shows a mother and baby being held by many different threads, which represent the many community connections that are holding the mother and baby in a very formative period of their lives.  

I was a mother who did not immediately benefit from necessary supports early in my postpartum period. I struggled with anxiety and depression. I received support from Families Matter, and it was there I learned about doulas and the incredible work they do to support families in the postpartum period. I also learned about how the concept of a 'village' to support new parents is not widely practised in countries such as Canada and the US. 

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By creating pieces such as "It Takes a Village," I hope to spark conversations and raise awareness about perinatal mental health and the necessity of all forms of support to not just babies, but parents, in the postpartum period.

Coming soon.

Coming soon.

“Work in Progress” is a piece that not only speaks volumes to my own mental health journey, but I believe can resonate with many people, their struggles, triumphs, setbacks, and recoveries. 

I am a prenatal mood and anxiety disorders (PADs) survivor. I am not ashamed to admit that my degree in psychology and over a decade of experience working with individuals with disabilities and mental health diagnoses did not prepare me for my own mental health struggles in postpartum. Mental health does not discriminate. It touches us all.

My intent with “Work in Progress” is to show that even with all the work and healing, there is still work to do. The cracks in the woman is filled with gold— a practice used in Japanese culture called kintsugi— and shows that there is beauty in imperfection. The piece is created with clay, which symbolizes flexibility in growth and regrowth. The woman is posed with one hand over her heart and another over her belly, promoting inner calm and grounding herself. She is observed with an expression that shows her at peace with the work in progress of her mental health journey. 

Additionally, the woman is emerging from a pond surrounded by lotuses. The lotus is a symbol of new beginnings, rebirth, and resilience— growth despite impurities and suboptimal conditions. The lotus is also a significant symbol to addicts in recovery, showing the journey from darkness to light, and discord to to inner peace and enlightenment.

“Work in Progress” is ambiguous enough to allow people’s own interpretation of the meaning of the piece. My hope is that it speaks and can be relatable to viewers, whether they have experienced the struggles and healing journey themselves or have seen this in a loved one.

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"Work in Progress" was on display in the Bowness Mini Galleries from May 2025 to July 2025.

Coming soon.

Coming soon.