Dreamland

This work is a celebration of everything that I have abandoned for my own good, professionally, personally, and spiritually. Since it began, the body of work has grown into a conversation with myself on what I want, and how I can live an emotionally and physically sustainable life.

After leaving and processing a traumatic situation, survivors speak of a ‘crash’ of pure exhaustion. This reaction to snapping out of hypervigilance was one of the initial motivations of this work. In addition to peaceful sleep in my own home, there is also sleep that is primarily a collapse from exhaustion, stress, or overwork. This series explores both kinds of rest, rejuvenating sleep and desperately needed sleep shoved into the cracks of an overbooked schedule.

I grew up fundamentalist Christian in a cosmology that left no room for mystery, experimentation, or joy. Ritual and witchcraft are rebellions, welcoming the unknown beyond and an unknown future. I also celebrate “unproductive” (from a capitalistic view), and often feminine coded, hobbies that have sprung up in the space left for rest. I am treating self-care in the form of therapy, regular rest, and managing my physical health as a part of my research and practice.