UGLY JUG

"This piece brought to the surface how uncomfortable I am with 'ugliness' - in myself, what I create, my environment. As an autistic person, I'm aesthetically-minded & have a preference for elements of symmetry & balance. Painting/creating has increased my awareness & tolerance. Almost all artworks have an 'ugly' stage you must pass through. It exemplifies the life/death/cycle discussed in 'Women Who Run With Wolves that all living things continually cycling through. A caterpillar becomes a chrysallis then a butterfly."

"'Ugliness' for me is really just a lack of cohesion. An ugly stage is necessary as that is where things become unfixed & expand in potential. Despite the title, I don't consider the jug ugly, though wonky. I worked through the hate & reached an arrangement/composition I was happy with. Often my work has a surface appearance of chaos & asymmetry but deeper architecture; intuitive balance. This is how my autism & ADHD are able to cooperate/make peace within a piece."