I create art because it turns feeling into something real—pain, love, memory—so even what breaks me can still become something beautiful.
You decide who will appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display their work at The Art of Elysium's Salon!
I’m drawn to graphite and charcoal work—black and white pieces that feel raw and honest. There’s something powerful about stripping color away and focusing on contrast, shadow, and emotion. It lets me capture depth and feeling in a way that feels unfiltered and real, like nothing is being hidden.
Where do you find inspiration?I find inspiration in emotion and real life—moments that feel heavy, quiet, or unresolved. Pain, love, and memory all shape what I create. I’m also drawn to people—their expressions, their stories, the things they don’t say. Music and late-night thoughts play a big role too. It all comes together as something honest, something that feels lived in rather than imagined.
What would you do with $25,000?I’d use $25,000 to support my cancer journey and create something meaningful from it. I’d put it toward treatment, recovery, and things that improve my quality of life, but also toward my art—using graphite and charcoal to document what this experience feels like. I’d want to turn something painful into something real, something that could connect with others and show what this journey truly looks like.
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Register now for your opportunity to appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display your artwork at The Art of Elysium's Salon.
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