It’s where I stop pretending it’s okay and see what survives.
You decide who will appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display their work at The Art of Elysium's Salon!
The kind that doesn’t behave. I work abstract, but not the pretty kind. It’s layered, a little wrecked, sometimes pushed too far and then pulled back just enough to breathe. I like tension. I like when something feels off but right at the same time. If it looks easy or decorative, I’ve probably gone too soft.
Where do you find inspiration?Honestly? The stuff I don’t get to opt out of. Pain, healing, brain fog, faith that’s had to fight to stay alive. Real conversations. The moments that don’t resolve cleanly. I’m not inspired by perfection, I’m inspired by what keeps showing up until you deal with it.
What would you do with $25,000?I’d use it to stop hesitating. To go bigger in the work and see what actually happens when I don’t pull back right when it starts to matter. I’d keep pushing my wearable pieces because I’m not that interested in art that just hangs there quietly, I want it out in the world, on people, getting lived in. And I’d start building small retreats for people who are tired of holding it all together, a space where nothing has to be fixed first and something honest can come through anyway.
Vote for Cheri Carandanis to become The People's Artist while supporting a great cause! Cast your free daily vote or make an even bigger impact when you vote by donation, supporting The Art of Elysium in their mission to use art as a catalyst to help people triumph over difficult life challenges.
Colossal is a nationally registered professional fundraiser that inspires people to advocate for themselves and those in need. Through online competitions like The People's Artist, Colossal offers participants the opportunity to make their mark while also making a big impact.
