The Nevermind. collection is a series of paintings featuring song lyrics turned into abstract art. The collection first started as an idea to simply explore painting words on canvas. The first two paintings of the series FIND ME and IN LAK’ECH are just that; simple in concept and simple in structure. My work began to evolve with HOW DO YOU WANT IT, and continued in complexity until the final piece, MILLION REASONS, which I feel is the painting that broke the structure and flow of the collection, leaving absolutely everything on the canvas. After that painting was complete, I knew I had nothing left to give Nevermind. Why did I choose songs and layers of lyrics after starting out so simple? I’ve never been good at talking about my feelings; I’m a writer who refuses to journal for fear of my words, my feelings, ever being discovered by another. Vulnerability has never been my specialty. But painting gives me the ability to talk about how I feel through color and movement and texture; combine that with song lyrics, and it was a way for me journal openly in code form. It’s become a safe way for me to express myself, to work through my feelings without using my actual voice. So why the name Nevermind.? (Don’t forget the period at the end!) Contrary to what most people I’ve talked to think, although I grew up in the 90s, it’s not a Nirvana reference. I got the idea from the Dennis Lloyd song “Nevermind” (although I never painted the actual song). I heard it one day and it gave me chills. “Nevermind” is how I always felt about my own feelings. Nevermind that I had feelings at all, nevermind talking about them, nevermind that they could matter. And since this series is all about the expression of my feelings, I say, Nevermind. Period.