‘The Moore’ Creature sewn with felt. This sculpture represents small milestones and parts of myself that I hold dear. Turning into a young adult, it’s easier to remember the little things that matter most. This creature is symbolic to me in a way that I recognise it as a part of myself. We are intertwined as one; together, we are whole. This creature is part Moorish Gecko combined with centipede and dragonfly. The Gecko symbolizes my Italian heritage as it is a common gecko found in Florence, Italy. The centipede body is a reference to the first tattoo I got when I turned 18, it was a huge milestone in my life that I had planned the year ahead. Lastly, the dragonfly wings were symbolic to a childhood movie ‘Coraline’ which I obsess over even to this day. Dragonflies later became one of my favorite flying insects.
< ‘Expectations’ > Fabric sculpture decorated with ribbon. This sculpture represents the expectation that was collared to me as a teenager; that I never would be anything but a teen mother once I had turned 16. Three weeks after turning 18 years old I was kicked out of home and my mother told me that I WILL become a teen mother, that was all I was in her eyes. Not only did she believe this expectation, but others did too. Subtle comments and blunt opinions from strangers who told me to have a baby now while I’m young did nothing but convince me that, maybe this was it? Maybe I am meant to be a mother. This impacted my mental health tremendously. I was breaking down and craving motherly love and a baby to call my own. This work represents that I have acknowledged what is expected of me and no matter how much they have me leashed to this expectation, I will push through and prove everyone wrong.
