Through the Looking Glass was created during the same time period ( eclipse season) as Cloak of Stars. I often felt as though I was channeling, or at least being guided by something outside of myself. I was inspired by the incredibly destabilizing energy of the eclipse current, and spent hour after hour, day after day immersed in this strangely beautiful space filled with distortion and cacophonous vision. In this series, there was an exploration of the mystical, the otherworldly, moving between the veils, dissolution, expanding and contracting perspectives and consciousness. Historically it felt that there was an homage to spiritualism, the surrealists and symbolist artists of the 19th century, concepts from Jungian and depth psychology and Trompe l’oeil imagery. I also explored the liminality of mirrors through mirror imagery, use of multiple portrait, and double exposure techniques. Many of these images were self portraits, some were taken from earlier photos done in collaboration with Peter Paradise Photography. Finally, there was an internal exploration and reclaiming of self concept, and sovereignty of self. For so long, it has felt as though my appearance was in some ways created by others. As a facially different individual, I often felt stigmatized and judged. This led to my experience of a sort of detachment from my sense of self. A fragmentation which is reflected in some of these images. Here I continued my journey towards reclaiming that which was unwanted or unappreciated, and discovered a tremendous sense of empowerment and appreciation of my own strange beauty.
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