Touch

11.25 x 15 inches

Collage with Linoleum Block and Screenprint Elements on Cotton Rag Paper

2023

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TOUCH is one of my love languages, and I delight in both giving and receiving touch, fostering healthy communication around consensual interactions with my cherished friends and loved ones. Within my circle, snuggling has become a beautiful way to strengthen our bonds and nurture our souls. 

The abundance of touch in my life fills me with immense joy, allowing me to extend that touch to those who desire or need it, always with clear consent, verbal communication, and attuned body language.

This is what Love Abundance means to me!

However, it hasn't always been this way. Growing up, my family didn't engage in much caring touch. Observing parents snuggling their grown children now fills me with a longing for the warmth and closeness I missed as a child and teenager. The influence of Catholicism in my family instilled negative connotations around touch, and even dating was forbidden. These experiences led me down a path of seeking touch in unhealthy ways during my twenties, unaware of the impact it had on my well-being.

But I have evolved and shed those detrimental beliefs and programming. It's crucial for me to use my art as a vehicle for self-expression. Through my creations, I reclaim the power to communicate and celebrate the beauty of touch.

As human beings, we require touch to thrive and flourish. Sadly, our culture has instilled shame and limitations around touch, conditioning us to believe that touch is scarce or solely reserved for romantic relationships. This mentality stems from colonial influences, which have ingrained possessiveness and ownership over others' bodies into our collective consciousness.

But envision a culture where we could openly and respectfully receive the touch we desire from a variety of trusted individuals. Imagine a world where we could express our preferences for touch without judgment or shame. Such a reality is not only possible but essential to our liberation. It calls for unlearning the narratives imposed by colonialism and capitalism, and instead, embracing a mindset that honors personal agency and fosters a culture of consent and abundant touch.

Together, let's dismantle harmful narratives and cultivate a world where touch is celebrated, respected, and available to all who seek its nurturing embrace.