“Becoming Whole”

This piece is a deeply personal exploration of self-discovery. Each photo represents a different part of me—moments of joy, struggle, growth, and reflection. By layering these images together, I’m not just creating a collage; I’m piecing together the person I’m learning to love and understand. It’s a journey of finding beauty in the fragments, and through this work, I hope to remind others that every piece of their story matters too.

A series of photographs inspired by the Kitchen Table Series by Carrie Mae Weems

For this independent study project, I combined self-portraiture with one of the biggest parts of my life— (some of) my 75 houseplants. Plants are a huge part of my life, and incorporating them into this project felt like a natural extension of who I am. This assignment wasn’t just about photography—it was about visually expressing my connection to nature and how it shapes my identity. Across my classes, I strive to expand my projects beyond their original scope.  This project reflects my approach to design and art: finding ways to weave personal passion into my work. I carry this mindset across all my classes—for example, in my jewelry class, I’m creating a metal monstera leaf as an identity badge, further connecting my work to the things that define me.