Teacher Name: Jesse Wyss
Grade: 12
Materials: Recycled Scraps, Adhesive, Marbles, Ink, Watercolor, Pencil
Dimensions: 20×15″
Description:
Artist Statement: I enjoy exploring neurodivergence, the unconventional, and our perceptions of flaws through playful, whimsical, and vulnerable narratives. Art is my greatest joy because we are free in a space where there is truly no right answer, perfection is rather unnecessary, and you have the ability to craft a far more imaginative and resonating sensory experience than a typical photograph could evoke. The power we have as artists to transport viewers into our states of mind, visions, and dreams is wonderful, and being vulnerable is key to a good connection.
Throughout this portfolio, I peek into different states of mind to present and reevaluate layers of my experiences living with ADHD by embracing distraction as a wandering of the mind, welcoming daydreaming as an artistic weapon, and exploring the emotional aspects of struggling to function with a disability, such as masking and feeling trapped by executive dysfunction, finishing basic tasks, and inconsistent energy levels.
Because my subject is so personal, the creative process is more important to me than the product. I work on multiple projects in the same timeframe, switching between each as I please, and set aside fear of mistakes by embracing rips, imperfections, and spills and work with sponges, marbles, and toothbrushes to make initial uncontrollable marks on top of recycled surfaces. On the outside, my practice could appear dysfunctional and unorganized, but the freedom of my own approach embraces how I function best as an individual with ADHD and mirrors my inquiry: what do we make of dysfunction? After bending my own creative process to my needs, I found that my struggle to complete and start tasks had been exacerbated by operating within an incompatible, linear system. I think many of us choose to operate in ways that don’t work for us simply because they’ve been deemed the ‘correct’ or acceptable methods; however, this sentiment leads to rejection, self doubt, and low self esteem because we fail to truly understand and navigate our own needs. I dream that shame will no longer dictate how we compose ourselves, that masking becomes unnecessary, and that we will seek help when we need it, disregard perfection, and continue to be more vulnerable with one another, especially in our artwork.
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