Symbiotic Discontent

"Symbiotic Discontent"
acrylic on birch
2013
24" x 24".
In private collection.

Delusional Parasitosis is the irrational belief that your body is infested with parasites. The sensation of being covered with crawling insects is a terrifying universal fear. Having lived with depression and anxiety for well over thirty years, I have a strong desire to examine different patterns of thought that reside within the mentally ill. Rumination—the act of chewing one’s cud, or obsessively cycling a thought, was first introduced to me at the age of twelve. My hornets represent the sneaky, persistent, and pervasive thoughts that arrive with depression. Many people struggling with mental illnesses have a certain ambivalence towards their intrusive thoughts. These stinging ruminations can build empathy, compassion, creative inspiration, and curiosity for differences. These thoughts can also hinder ones’ ability to form intimate relationships, build trust and stability, and grow and mature emotionally.