My life has been filled with constant change and challenges. Growing up, I moved often and met many people, but that came with a deep sense of abandonment. After my parents’ divorce when I was three, I constantly felt like I had to choose between them—and whatever I chose, it felt wrong. I spent years striving to be “enough”—to earn attention and love through achievements. But that attention never came.
In high school, I realized I had been living for the wrong reasons. That’s when the pandemic hit. After graduation, I paused my life to care for my sick grandparents, who both passed away before 2023. I felt like I was in “airplane mode”—emotionally numb, unmotivated, and detached from myself. In 2023–2024, I was diagnosed with Mixed Anxiety and Depression Disorder (MADD). Since then, therapy and medication have helped me slowly rebuild, one step at a time.
Art has always been a part of my life—it started with my father. Creating together was our special bond, and through it, I found a sense of peace. Although I stopped after facing bullying in middle school, I picked it back up at the end of my sophomore year and haven’t stopped since. My art is self-taught, personal, and reflective of my feelings in the moment. It’s my safe space—a place where I connect with others and express what words often cannot.
I hope my work creates space for others to feel seen, understood, and less alone. We all deserve a safe place, and if mine can help someone else find theirs, then I’ve accomplished something real.
Kandice
Please Stay
NFS
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