"This is the day that I die" / 2024 / 12"x16" / Acrylic Paint, Charcoal

This piece is a memento mori, or a reminder that we're all going to die one day. The specific meaning of this piece is twofold. One is the religious belief many families hold that their child is going to hell when they die for being part of the LGBT community. The second is that instead of viewing being queer as a death sentence it can be viewed as a "Rebirth" So while we may be dying today in the eyes of our family members and even strangers we are being reborn as our true selves in our eyes. The use of chrysanthemums and baby's breath represent this dichotomy. My cat is framed in the upper left as a symbol of true unconditional love that only animals can give us, something I wish families would exercise on their children.