It was the summer of 2021 when the concept for Nudes in the Jungle sparked in my mind. I had just been diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), which is a connective tissue disorder that affects the body systemically - head to toe - which results in a variety of symptoms. One of my primary symptoms is joint subluxations. The summer was hot, which resulted in more pain than usual. I remember lying on the floor in my studio, a fan blasting on my face, fantasizing about being on vacation. However, due to the severity of this illness at that time, I could not travel. So, in an attempt to escape the physical pain in my body, I came up with the idea to create new bodies surrounded by lush green tropical plants. I thought maybe by constructing different bodies within rich nature scenes, it could either provide a distraction from my physical pain or better yet; connect me with ways in which I could subdue the pain. At this point in life, I had already been painting with paper for some time. So although the thought of simply using paint to achieve my vision did cross my mind, I decided that I wanted to challenge myself to the largest paper painting I had yet to create! 

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Little did I know that it would evolve into so much more - while still offering the comfort I sought.

Halfway through the completion of the piece, I knew I had to explore more scenes using this concept which ultimately led to the creation of this series; Nudes in Nature.