When I think about my most meaningful works, a common thread runs through them all—my personal journey with neurodiversity. Each piece is a way for me to process and express how I experience the world, shaped by my diagnoses and creative exploration.
One of my pieces, “Dis-ability,” holds a special significance. By separating “Dis” from “ability,” I wanted to challenge how society tends to view disabilities. So often, people focus on what’s missing rather than seeing the strengths that can come with them. For me, this piece is about flipping that idea. My ADHD and OCD, which might seem like obstacles to some, have actually fueled my creativity. This work is my way of saying that the things others might see as limitations are what make me who I am and inspire what I create.
Another work dives into the emotional highs and lows I’ve experienced, using blacklight and glow-in-the-dark paint to represent mood swings. To some, these shifts might seem chaotic, but in the right light, they become something vibrant and full of energy. This piece is about how neurodiversity can look completely different depending on how you view it—what feels like emotional chaos one day can become creative fuel the next.
I photographed the below piece both in normal lighting and under blacklight to capture the dual nature of it. In the blacklight, the bright blues and greens really pop, showing the intense emotions at play. I wanted to highlight how these emotional shifts can be seen differently depending on how you look at them.
Lastly, my children’s book, “What’s a Learning Disability, Ms. Daisy?”, is close to my heart. I created it to help young kids understand what learning disabilities are, in a way that’s fun and easy to relate to. I wanted children and their families to know that having a disability doesn’t make you “less than” or “different in a bad way”—it’s just a different way of experiencing the world. Writing and illustrating this book allowed me to take my own experiences and turn them into something positive that can help others.
Reflecting on these works brings to mind something Barbara Arrowsmith-Young said in her TEDx talk: “The brain can change itself. It is capable of rewiring and forming new connections.” This really speaks to me, because it’s exactly what I’ve experienced. Creating these works has allowed me to shift how I understand and express neurodiversity. I’ve come to realize that neurodiversity isn’t a limitation—it’s a different, powerful way of seeing and experiencing the world. My art is a celebration of that.
As I move forward, I’m reminded that embracing our unique perspectives can lead to some of the most creative and meaningful work. Our differences do not define us, but they empower us to create in ways that others may never understand. That’s what my art is about—embracing how neurodiversity shapes who I am and the stories I tell.