Beauty Marks
Beauty Marks, 2014. Coffee, gouache, graphite, hand embroidery, paper, and wool on paper, 8 x 8 in and 22 x 16 cm (View more pieces from this collection)
We so often try to hide these scars, perhaps viewing them as imperfections and difficult reminders of our hardships. But these precious imperfections indeed contribute to the whole of us, and these hardships bring forth the strength and resilience we may have not known existed within us otherwise. Our scars serve as a reminder of our ability to heal, our resilience, and our inherent strength to overcome adversity. These scars are evidence of our will to survive. These intimate little pieces pay respect to our triumph over tribulation, and in them, the afflictions are mended, leaving the scars that we can perhaps learn to call beauty marks. They were inspired by my grandmother’s beautiful purple aging spots which she would often criticize as I sat and admired while grazing my hands over them.