The Lamp is me; I am this monster; I’m all of these parts and bits made up from my experiences. Compounded trauma can leave you feeling broken. But one experience that has mended me has been love. Although I’m still scarred from the worst moments, I’ve found solace through my relationships and friendships. It’s given me the safety to be myself and allowed me to bring myself back together again.

 Despite the experiences that made me feel monstrous, I was able to finally put that aside and feel beautiful again. Sometimes you go through experiences that make you feel gross, ashamed, confused and upset. But turning towards the people who love you during those moments will give you connection and allow you to repair yourself through acceptance and understanding.

The work was labor intensive and took nearly 56 hours. I rewired the lamp and placed a pink lightbulb with a heart shaped filament. I then made fake skin with silicone and acrylic paint, then I attached each fiber and bead, placing the silicone skin last. The top of the lamp shade has French braided fibers reminiscent of hair.

plastic, glass, yarn, beads, silicone, acrylic, metal, human hair

2 ft x 8 inches, the shade being 12 in in diameter