“Self Portrait 2026” | Acrylic on Canvas

Every year around August / September, I like to spend time working on a self-portrait. It has always been a great way to capture what the year has meant to me and acts as a physical representation of everything I've accomplished, worked on, endured, and remained an artist through.

These pieces mean the world to me, and I typically don't share them because of how close to home they are...that being said, this year was different. The same week that I had decided on a concept and picked out a canvas, I broke my dominant right hand. The initial weeks of healing were painful and left me feeling like I was disconnected from a big part of my identity: being an artist.

However, even though my right hand was out of commission, I had another option. That's the thing about being a creative person, isn't it? We're always looking for ways to make something out of "nothing". So, here it is, my 2026 self-portrait done ENTIRELY with my left hand.

Turns out being an artist is more a state of mind than a state of capability. 

If you're a creative person and have been dealt a difficult hand (pun intended), I hope you're able to lean into your art. Sometimes it's the best kind of medicine.