The Inside Joke
The Inside Joke first began with The Inside Joke: The Bare Bones of Narcissism in 2025, an exploration of narcissism through art created as part of a countdown to Halloween. The series and gallery received an incredible amount of attention, but what I am most proud of is the response from survivors of narcissistic abuse. So many people commented, reached out, and shared their own stories, telling me how deeply they connected with the work and how seeing their experiences represented through art made them feel seen and understood.
For this year’s series, The Inside Joke: Down to the Bones, I wanted to expand beyond narcissism and explore other forms of mental illness and the struggles that often remain hidden beneath the surface—depression, alcoholism, and more. I want to explore where these struggles begin, what they look like, how they affect not only those experiencing them but also the people around them, and the victims who can sometimes be left in their wake. Most importantly, I hope this series can shed light on these difficult subjects, encourage conversation, help someone feel less alone, and perhaps contribute in some small way to another person’s healing journey—or help someone recognize a problem and find a path toward understanding, recovery, or a solution.