Crazy, right? Studying Studio Art, on the other hand, has always been an active, intentional choice in my life.
I began informally painting in high school, but I believe I became an artist in college. My current mediums include oil painting, ceramics, printmaking and knitting, although I plan on dabbling in every medium I have the opportunity to learn. Art stabilizes me and makes me happy, a consistency that everyone deserves in their lives.
My focus pivoted from labor and delivery bedside nursing to research focused on pregnancy and birth when I assisted in my first C-section. It is no secret that woman-identifying individuals are mistreated in healthcare, but that C-section was the first time that I saw first-hand the blatant disrespect that is often endured during the intense, sometimes traumatic experience of birth. I felt much less excited to go into a field that supported this provider-focused gender ideal within the space of something so intimate and connective as birth.
This brings us to where we are now: our research! You will be learning alongside me as I conduct an ethnographic study on traditional, alternative medicines and practices used during the periods of pregnancy, labor and post-partum within several Indigenous communities in the Brazilian Amazon. I chose Manaus, Brazil as the home for this research because the holistic practices of many of the indigenous communities have been well-preserved. It is my hope that this research will shed light on the importance and strength of these practices.
I hope that you all feel that you know me a bit better! I am very excited to get to know all of you and to share this journey with you!
