Creative Research
capstone project
My creative process began by reflecting on the images I grew up with in fundamentalist evangelical purity culture. Images like a chewed-up piece of gum, a crumpled piece of paper, or a bag full of rocks—each stone representing something of me that I had given away, leaving me feeling empty and devalued. These cultural metaphors became ingrained in my bodily archive, and I began to explore the sensory experiences tied to them.
How did these images feel in my body? What sensations, emotions, and memories did they evoke? This exploration became the foundation of my work, allowing me to dive into the tension between religious teachings about body control and my desire for freedom and expression. Through this process, I reflect on how these teachings shaped my relationship with my body and how movement can serve as a means of reclaiming autonomy.