People

The naive aesthetic of my ink and mixed media figures depicts a youthful innocence and joy. It reflects the complexities of my personal neurodivergent emotional development as chronically ill and late diagnosed AuDHD.  This is an emotional state experienced by a minority of the neurodivergent population, yet deeply relatable to those who share it.  For me, it is also a direct response to navigating the world with developmental trauma and a spiky neurodivergent profile*.

My practice is inherently dualistic, split between a capable intellect (though this capacity is highly situational and depends entirely on the topic, environment and sometimes levels of support), and my much more vulnerable, younger emotional reality. While the disability arts sector often rightly rejects infantilisation, owning this emotional state is central to my work; it is my true essence. These drawings allow me to visually articulate that vulnerability. By gradually introducing more sophisticated elements into these ink and mixed media works, I am exploring whether these parts of my identity, the intellectual and the emotional, can be integrated on paper, even if they are perceived by allistic culture as fractured in daily life.
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Early on, it was noted that my visual signature lies in a specific suspension of age. The illustrations leave the viewer uncertain if they are observing adults or children, drawn by a mature artist or someone much younger. This mirrors my own internal landscape.​
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*A spiky neurodivergent profile (sometimes playfully called a "spiky profile") describes an uneven distribution of cognitive abilities and skills as though it were mapped on a graph. While neurotypical individuals generally have consistent ability levels across the board, neurodivergent individuals can exhibit extreme highs and deep lows of ability.