Art gives shape to what I can’t say—turning pain, noise, and memory into something visible, grounding, and real.
You decide who will appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display their work at The Art of Elysium's Salon!
I create mixed-media portraiture that explores psychological depth and fragmented identity. My work often features layered faces and figures embedded within a central form, representing lost memory, inner voices, and emotional states. I’m drawn to raw textures, drips, and earthy tones that convey vulnerability and intensity. Painting allows me to externalize internal chaos and give structure to experiences that feel overwhelming or unseen.
Where do you find inspiration?My work begins in uncertainty—an unknown space where a chalk rubbing or abstract stain holds no clear image. Through an unintentional process, faces and figures emerge as disorder shifts toward structure and meaning. This mirrors fear, insecurity, darkness, disillusion, and distance alongside connection and confidence. Repeated faces suggest misunderstood beauty and fractured self-esteem, revealing tension between fragmentation and the search for wholeness.
What would you do with $25,000?I would invest in a dedicated studio space and materials to expand my practice and create larger, more immersive work. I would also get an emotional support dog to help ground me and support my mental health, allowing me to create more consistently. The funding would also go toward exhibiting my work and sharing it with a wider audience, supporting both my growth as an artist and my continued healing.
Vote for Teresa (Tru) Berg 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.
Limited-time: 2X votes ends on Sat 6/6 at 9PM PDT
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