The Exquisite Being Portrait
Dear Community,
I don’t have much art to show at this time, but I do have this collaborative Exquisite Corpse drawing. It was created two years ago in Australia while traveling with new friends from four different countries. We took turns drawing sections of a body, folding the paper to hide each contribution. The result?
A bizarre, unexpected, and hilarious portrait.
Honestly, that’s how I’ve been feeling in the world these days. A little fragmented. A little out of context.
Over the past year, I’ve stepped back from painting. The drive I once had isn’t there in the same way, and I’m honoring that. I can’t force myself to be the version of me that once existed, and I’m done trying. Social media feels unsettling—it always leaves me feeling sick. Right now, commissioned art isn’t where my heart is, but at my core, I know I need to show up for myself in a way that aligns with how I want the world to show up for me.
Lately, I’ve been questioning a lot. Where do I put my energy? What do I consume? Where do I spend my time? Whose voices do I let in?
Two years ago, I was biking through Australia, painting, doing yoga, and embracing the beauty and challenges of my 20s. Then, in June of 2023, I attended an ayahuasca ceremony with full trust and the hope of personal growth. Three months later, I had a breakdown which resulted in me being hospitalized for two weeks. When I came home, my sense of self had been completely unraveled. The recovery was terrifying, humbling, and raw.
But if I’ve learned anything, it’s that love and community connection is survival—authentic, and unconditional. It’s not just about being seen in our joy but having a safe place to lay down our shame, to heal without fear, and to be held through the dark moments.
I don’t think I’ll ever stop questioning reality. I have no patience for sugar-coated truths. I spent months trapped in delusions—I refuse to live in a world that hides behind fake narratives and empty motives. I won’t give up, but I also won’t burn out. After a year of rebuilding my self-worth, I know I can bounce back. I’ll show up for my people—quietly, intentionally—and trust that, like a droplet in a pond, the ripples will reach further than I can see.
And I will make art again.
Right now, my focus is on learning when and how to show up for the world. Which brings me to my next side project: The Exquisite Being Portrait.
Inspired by the surrealist game Exquisite Corpse, this will be a collaborative practice where small groups of 3-4 people come together to create a portrait—each person drawing a different section of the body (head, center, legs, feet). Alongside the drawing, we’ll see what conversations emerge:
What’s been on your mind?
What’s been pulling at your heart?
What’s been keeping you moving forward and rooted?
I hope this becomes a way to explore the fragmented yet interconnected experience of being human—but mostly, a space to appreciate the people in my life, and laugh a little.
In future email blog posts, I hope to share the artwork we create, the little takeaways from these sessions, and—if people feel comfortable—the personal stories that emerge alongside the art.
As spring unfolds, I feel compelled to renew, to sit with grief and gratitude at the same table, and to notice the little moments of truth that keep us whole.
If this resonates with you—if you want to see the creations that come from this or even participate—keep following along.
Until next time,
Emma
