“Fever Dream” was drawn while I had the flu. The sickness forced me to pause on all the momentum of my life. Stuck in bed in a seemingly paralyzed state, disconnected from the flow of my usual daily pattern, I began to become lost in daydreams. This piece symbolizes the vivid imagination we all hold within. Abstract, chaotic, yet playful, the curiosity of my mind took me on wandering journeys. When I am forced to stop moving, I am able to slow down enough that new connections are made. The whole piece is tinged in green, which I later realized was my subconscious way of communicating the sickness that warped the flavor of my thoughts and feelings. Even when we are sick, sad, or tired, there can be an emergence of growth, inspiration, and new possibilities.
I created the piece in a stream-of-consciousness flow. I started with some core squares, rectangles, and circles. Then lines and colors began to connect the disconnected shapes. Drawing this was a part of my healing process. I did not filter or overthink - I just allowed my being to pour out, unfiltered. The piece was drawn digitally using my iPad and Procreate software.