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I just started my art journey, but it's helping me to heal, rediscover and empower myself; while also inspiring and empowering others.
VOTING OPENS SOON
Who will appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display their artwork at The Art of Elysium's Salon?
Voting opens Monday, May 4th at 10AM PDT
Want to know more about The People's Artist?
Learn MoreWhat is your favorite type of art to create?
The honest answer is: I don't know, for the last two decades I have been preoccupied with navigating homelessness after being rejected for my queerness and then helping my disabled mom with her own housing instability and now breast cancer. Creativity hasn't really been an option. 2025 was my first year of stability and I decided to see what I could do. Once upon a time I really enjoyed writing, but I was told there was no money in it and to give it up, so I did. 2023 writing saved my life...
Where do you find inspiration?
Rage... I find inspiration from the things that feel unfair. My experiences in life have been influenced by constantly feeling powerless and alone. So, not it's really important to me to try and do something, which often times inspires me to think creatively.
What would you do with $25,000?
I would use it to help my mom through her chemotherapy. I took on a lot of debt to help her when she was being evicted back in 2023, but I would use the largest portion to help me with my creative vision to inspire empowerment in my community. I really want to raise money for PBS, NPR and the born this way foundation with my Lady Gaga inspired art project "Lunacy". This would help me with materials, mentoring, but more importantly a sense of legitimacy if I won. I dont feel like an artist.
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