Narratives | Jeremiah Ray

These self-portraits are an ongoing series initially started after my cancer diagnosis in 2016. Initially, these pen and ink sketches were composed during long hours at the cancer treatment clinic and lengthy inpatient stays. They became increasingly critical to understanding my emotional and psychological states at this time of my life. During treatment, my body remained strong regardless. My mind, however, teetered. The compositions were a meditative act, a means to still myself and find footing. As I have done my entire life, I anchored myself to art. Form began to take shape, and a figure emerged from the lines and seemingly randomness upon the pages of my sketchbooks that accompanied me to therapy. What materialized was the experience I was coming to terms with. As my journey progressed, the drawings evolved, growing and shifting. I added new layers, digitally editing and building colorful stories to create different, supplemental layers upon each narrative already told. The story is still evident in each portrait, but now, the multicolored patterns and vivid textures speak to the Jeremiah of the present day. The foundational elements of this body of work will forever be present. They hold my history – each line and mark represents a place of struggle and, thus, growth. Growth and development are imperative for any form of artistic expression. By digitally manipulating them, layering various elements, collaging, etc., I am giving them a chance to do just this. They are evolving, and so too am I.