My answer to the question "What’s my antidote in prison?" is “the sky.” My bed is nothing but the state's assigned spot for me. I can be moved at any time, and without advance notice. In contrast, I can look up and see the same sky and stars my family sees from home—that is my antidote.
Thus, the sky is my inspiration for this self-portrait with my hair turning into bars and my body turning to stone (brick). There are four stars and a crescent moon in my eyes. The moon represents my mother, and the stars are for each of my children. The longer I spend here, the more I feel that I’ve become one with the brick and bars that hold me captive; however, I can always look up at the sky and see my family in my mind's eye.
This artwork was commissioned for the Empowerment Avenue exhibition The Only Door I Can Open: Women Exposing Prison Through Art and Poetry.
Currently it’s in Australia as part of the exhibition Paperchained International
