How do we define ourselves? Well no offence to me 5 seconds ago, but you can't! So what you can do is define who you want to be and how you want to be remembered...
In my work, I am consciously creating in the mindset of finding empowerment by embracing our personal vulnerabilities, achieved through impactful and dark art. This piece was a long awaited desire to physicalise such a mindset. 🫁
🦴Vulnerabilities = Broken tree, weary self, dark, decaying woodlands.
🦹🏼♂️Empowerment = Bandages, healing the brokenness.
I purposefully put bandages on places where I have insecurities:
🪞Head size
🪞Forehead and receding hairline
🪞Small arms
🪞Ganglion on hand
These last 7 months have been filled with working on myself: eating healthier, going to the gym, hiring a personal trainer to help, more me time and less stress and pressure to create. I am healing from what I had once struggled with, slowly but surely. 🌱
As I enter further into adulthood, my priorities have shifted; I want to get to know what I struggle with and have the confidence to embrace them head on. 🧠I am saying goodbye to fear of confliction, holding back opinions at the fear of upset and letting go of false expectations put on myself. 🫀
We can find opportunities to become stronger in our everyday lives. Whether your insecurities are internal or external, getting to know why they are present in your life is key to having them not take charge. It is up to us to find those moments to bandage up and begin healing. We may be left with scars, but these don't define us, they're simply reminders of what once were.
'Healing Process' Self Portrait, March 2023. ♾️
still hurting. 🤍
what excitement has stampeded through the billowing tent,
Tightropes allowing exit points for enthralled visitors.
They vacate with joy in their hearts, a newly painted smile,
One from a treasured experience, memories caught like a trapeze artist in a net.
But I’m still hurting. 🎭
Caption inspired by @arianagrande recent cover of ‘Still hurting’ It was all I could think of when writing up this caption, and just seemed to work so well. 🎟
A continuation in my clown series, breaking down the character further to become the most vulnerable, fragile version I’ve created. 🤹🏼♂️ This time, I painted white kids paint on my face, photoshopping the makeup elements on! I shot in a different doorway of my house, which ended up being super relaxing as I had the whole room to myself with no chance of on lookers, it was cosy and sweet! 🤍
It’s been a while since I’ve really relaxed during the shooting process, and I’ll have to say with this shoot, I could take my time shooting, and thoroughly enjoy the process! 🤡
Self Portrait, April 2020 🎪
Who Am I- 10 Facts about Me 📚💙: 1. I was diagnosed with a mild form of autism at the age of two, I had to go through speech therapy as I wasn’t able to talk until the age of four.
2. Before I wanted to be a photographer, I dreamed of being a dancer, later wanting to be a fashion designer. I then discovered photography and found it sits perfectly with me.
3. I have been classing myself as a photographer since 2014, studying it at school and college, and then working in the field ever since.
4. I am a huge fan of @ladygaga , she has taught me so much of my self confidence. Her music has defined important moments in my life and I am forever grateful for her creativity.
5. I get drastic mood swings. I will feel so much happiness in one go, having the ability to quickly change to sadness to anger in seconds.
6. I let things dwell to much within me, unable to move on from when someone hurts or betrays me. I try and find positives, letting myself not shadow them with what’s going on in my head.
7. I have an ever-changing relationship with my body, so much so that lately I have opted to wear oversized clothes. I can’t remember the last time I’ve worn anything ‘skinny.’ I feel way more in love with myself now that I can share my size and body on my terms.
8. I hope to create a photo series that can be sold in a gallery space. I will create fine art prints of models and self portraits, exploring mine and others personal experiences with autism. This will grow with time and will be something I will consistently work on this coming year.
9. Only in recent years, have I been able to cry with laughter. I think it’s because I have finally found true joy and live with my loved ones around me.
10. I am learning about myself more and more with each day. Trying to become a better person. -
Taken with assistance from @starryeyedkid95 💙☁️
Sometimes we return to ourselves, we take a break and then we come back. My last self portrait was back in late August (!!) Probably the longest I have gone without making art. 💔
I got distracted with prioritising differently, at the time it felt right but now I have the desire back and wish to make the art that is building up and waiting to be made in my planning book.
Decided to make the most of the later sunsets to return to the woodlands where I first shot over 10 years ago, to tell a story of a leap of faith i took- getting my first tattoo. 🫧
The bubble symbolises childlike fragility, things beautifully breaking. As well, I fractured my left collar bone as a child, so the placement is totally intentional. ❤️🩹
today is world autism awareness day, which is a day i share a little part of myself that feels as though it both weighs me down and lifts me up. 🩶
autism is a part of my everyday and what i enjoy so much about this day is the word ‘awareness’ as so often it’s through starting a conversation that we get to accept one another.
this is a photo i created back in 2020, layering a finger painting i did when i was going through the diagnosis process in 2000. i wear my past expression with pride as i continue to celebrate that differences i quietly live with. ♾️
#worldautismawarenessday
ArtWorks Together X Thomas Oscar Miles 2026. 🤍
It was an honour to get to visit for the opening of @artworks.together latest exhibition of my textile piece ‘a work in progress.’ 🪡 This was the first time I exhibited an experimental mixed media piece, celebrating a combination of my love for photography and textiles. 🤍
Myself and my husband travelled up to @millenium_gallery to see the opening, as well as be a part of the awards event to celebrate the incredible winners. I got to talk to and meet some lovely people and hear the most beautiful comments on my piece, thank you to all that shared the most invited of love. 💌🫧
ArtWorks Together was the definitive point of starting to consider myself a professional artist back when I placed on 2021; as it was a moment where my autistic voice was embraced to its fullest and my main message in my art was most celebrated.
This process has been incredibly inspiring to trying more mixed mediums and hopefully exhibiting more one of a kind pieces. ♾️
Dilapidate: (of a building or object) in a state of disrepair or ruin as a result of age or neglect. 🏚️
After so long, I have plucked the courage to face fears to conjure up the next piece for my Spider Silk Is Stronger Than Steel Collection. 🕸️
Inspired by the word ‘Dilapidate,’ my mind swam towards notions of decay and the visual cue of abandoned buildings and homes.
Metaphorically, A crumbling home could symbolise broken families, moving out and ideas of what is comfortable.
I bought this doll house second hand, being of a beige and unflattering wash. I decided to dry paint it a deep oak colour to add texture and an aged finish.
Naturally, it sat in my shed at the bottom of the garden, its self decaying and collecting cobwebs as time passed. As this summer ended, I decided it was time to bring this vision to life; grabbing a troop of friends and my husbands to explore a local lake at sunset. (swipe to see more of the behind the scenes.)
What’s beautiful about dilapidation is the way things piece back together. When things seem broken, I choose to take initiative to do what I can to mend. Somethings may never truly heal in the same way, but part of its charm is the process en-which we gather up the pieces and form something new.
assistance from @starryeyedkid95 , @amyrosew5 , @_kyle_lynch_ 🩶
Dilapidation can be beautiful 🖤 #SpiderSilkIsStrongerThanSteel 🕸️🗡️
🩸Today is my 28th birthday🪡
As I have done for the past 9 years, (happy 10 years this year! 🥂) I have created, inspired by this extra year I’ve been gifted. I use this opportunity to create a portrait to reflect who I hope to become, and what lessons I am ready to learn. ♾
This year, I am finding ways to combine pieces of myself from my past, to make a well rounded, educated and present self. As if I am Frankensteins monster; I look to who I was before and wish to connect back with the pieces of me I let go of along the way.
Why?
I wear so many hats as of now; juggling so many roles and versions of me. I hope to combine all that I am, to become a fully fledged me that isn’t trying to be anything other than authentically me. 🫀
An easy visual example of me doing this is paying homage to one of my first creative loves: fashion and textiles. By using stitching and collaging techniques, this piece celebrates all that came before me to bring me to this creative point in the road. 🫁
I think so often we go about life, forgetting the little me’s that came before us: the children we once where who were colouring on the walls, wearing mis-matched shoes and running around in fields. I miss that sense of innocence and don’t feel ashamed to say that I want it back. 🧠
I hope this tapestry of who I was and am can inspire you to think the same. I aim to spend this next year and beyond dancing in the wind and finding joy where I lost it along the way.
Tom- Aged 28: a work in progress. #TheDayHeWasBorn. 🪡
just a cheeky lil update as my 10th instalment of my #TheDayHeWasBorn series drops in two days time for my birthday. 🎈🩸
Through this piece I hope to create a tapestry of myself, as if I am creating my own Frankensteins monster. Who I want to become, I hope will be an amalgamation of elements of myself from all chapters of my past.
Stay tuned for a final product, a personal favourite that I hope will shape how I create in the future and how I exhibit ♥️
#selfportraiture #conceptualart #fineartphotography #autisticartist #darkart #thedayhewasborn #empowermentart
Making a suit from card. 📦
Decided to use card from @hobbycrafthq to make my suit. originally i planned to make it super asymmetrical, but felt as though i should make it accurate and then shoot it wonky!
Be sure to check out the other reels i made of shooting and the final photo itself. 🤠
Behind the Scenes of shooting ‘Wonky Walls’ 🧱
Shot on a windy country road one summer evening, with a suit made entirely of card. I felt so much childlike whimsy again while shooting this; concerning some innocent bike riders and having a laugh the whole time!
Stay tuned to see the process of making the suit itself. 🚧🔨👷🏻
#selfportraiture #conceptualart #fineartphotography #behindthescenesphotoshoot #autisticartist
If You’re Going To Give Me Second Hand Tools, You’ll Get Wonky Walls. 🪚
Planned eons ago, but the idea still stands prominent in truth today. If we are expected to do the best possible job, we need support, knowledge and the skills to get it done. 👏🏼
This is the truth I have come to live by, with broken tools or a lack of understanding, I won’t reach my full potential. 👏🏼
I am such a sponge when it comes to learning, only just finishing my second time around at college at the age of 27 & getting married whilst being at college! I am also ready to venture into a foundation degree in a field I never thought i’d be in. 👏🏼
With a boxy ill fitting paper suit, I represent my keen desire to build, grow and mend, whilst showing the hardships that come with this when you can’t fully shine. 👏🏼
How do you need support in your life and how have you experienced not reaching your full potential?
