Coming from a broken home with serious attachment issues, I’ve often questioned ‘the meaning of life’ at a very young age. During my childhood and adolescence I suffered from homelessness, mental illness, eating disorders, self harming and drug misuse to name a few. Art became a powerful and therapeutic tool in gaining an understanding of my situation, and helped me to overcome my emotional and mental conditions. I hope my acceptance of myself and being authentic through my art can offer others’ to do the same.

 

Today I openly communicate with the world by expressing both my joys and sorrows through various media such as painting, photography, creative journals, spoken word, public speaking, film, audio and performance.

I studied for my Fine Arts Masters degree at the University of East London in 2000 and have since completed a Diploma courses in Art Therapy (2009) and Life Coaching (2012 and 2016). I have taught in mainstream schools for over 13 years and my frustration of the current restrictive education system spurred me on to start freelancing as an alternative arts educator. I devise creative coaching workshops and seminars with a focus on personal development and mind development techniques. I am particularly interested in educating and empowering children and young people towards their path of self-discovery, which is so often neglected in schools. Creativity provides a platform to nurture our emotions and opinions, where we can convert ideas into reality. Art is always a work in progress, just like the self. It provides a solid foundation to develop aspects of oneself as a unique individual.

Testimony

Recently I’ve come to a ‘spiritual calling’ after a near death experience with my youngest child. It led us to read the Bible. We have reclaimed our true identity through our faith in the Most High.

Our lives have completely transformed, with the ‘renewing of our minds’. Since I previously was into the New Age ethics, I have practiced various ideologies of the Occult, Eastern Mysticism and Esoteric Philosophy, which took me deeper into the rabbit hole.

With my new eyes, I can see clearly the real deception on how society has been programmed and manipulated through an illusion of obscure words and imagery.

Exposing the ‘Enemy’ (god) of this world has become my new work in progress.

My daughter is collaborating with me in this venture and we aim to produce material to bring knowledge, creativity and ideas to others. During the Artist Development Residency we have started this journey by creating and sharing our Testimony, my first video piece.

 

Photos by Jimmy Lee