Piece Yourself Together

copper, enamel, resin, seashells, patina 4 x 3.5 x 0.5 in 2019

This piece was made for the collaborative exhibition, Keepsakes. Participants from Edinboro University and East Carolina University exchanged meaningful objects and created pieces honoring these objects.

Out of the items sent to me, I chose the seashells. My partner spoke of the beauty in the shells being broken and imperfect. Playing off this theme, I broke the shells into smaller pieces and created a mosaic. 'Piece Yourself Together' references picking up the pieces and creating something new after the shattering of trauma, specifically my hardships in getting loved ones to understand the fluidity of my gender. The shells, although now broken into pieces, still act as a form of queer armor. On the back, a mantra is pierced, words of encouragement for the wearer.