Metamorphosis Panthera

This piece is my personal take on transformation, specifically in regards to the transition from childhood to adulthood, as well as the self discovery that comes with the territory.

As a child, I knew myself only in the context of others. I knew I was kind, outgoing, patient, but I didn't know who I was outside of what I was told I am. This engrained a fear of change in me, one that told me if I ever changed, I would lose everyone, and who would I be without someone to tell me what I am? This plagued me from grade school through young adulthood, giving me a constant fight to find peace in myself and my decisions. The one thing that finally broke this cycle for me was making the decision to medically transition. It was like a piece of me that was locked away came back, unabashed and ready to take the world head-on.

I felt compelled to make something that combines joy of my current life with the joy of my childhood. This mixed media piece is embedded with the sterilized caps from vials of testosterone, layered with construction paper and colored with playground chalk and felt tip pens.