My Secret Tortures - Work In Progress

I took a long, and much needed break from the studio after completing my last body of work. Recently I have been feeling the call back to working, specifically the quiet and contemplative process of illustration. I always have found drawing to be meditative, however this time writing has also started to make an appearance in my process. While outside of my comfort zone, I feel like there is such a natural relationship between words and images, and for this particular series, they truly seemed to need each other.

This series in progress is tentatively called “My Secret Tortures” and is about my recent breakup. Functioning perhaps as part catharsis, part journal, and part confession, this collection of illustrations and prose explores the secret rituals I have adopted after the end of this relationship. Each piece combines a small body of text about something I am doing in the aftermath of this loss which is halting or sabotaging my healing. The text is paired with a loose contour illustration in pen and ink wash of a quiet moment or space where these small rituals take place. While each piece is highly personal and specific to my heartache, I’m hoping the feelings that they evoke are relatable. Still in process, my goal is to collect the final prints into a small hand-bound book. Right now, I have about 8 pieces in progress, including the three below:

Healing works differently for every person and every relationship. “My Secret Tortures” is a peak behind the curtain at the ways we try to hold on even if we know we need to let go.