Throughout my life I had always felt alone, different. I struggled to understand and communicate with others; constantly being told I wasn't listening, I don't try hard enough, I am stupid. In actual fact I was trying harder than everyone else. I knew the answers (once I could understand the questions) but organising my thoughts and ideas in order to articulate them was extremely difficult.

My time at school was an immense struggle. In order to do well I realised that I would have to teach myself. My efforts were not in vain and I got myself into all the top sets but I was living with a constant conflict of emotions; struggling to understand why I was different to everyone else and why I felt so alone. 

In 2010, after 15 years in the education system, I was diagnosed with severe dyslexia. The relief washed over me; I finally understood.

Whilst I may struggle to communicate verbally I find the ability to communicate using a visual language is as natural to me as speaking is to others. I have now fully embraced what I see as my gift of creativity, I love it! It makes me who I am today and gives me this wonderful imagination where I can express myself naturally, freely and easily.

This body of work is created through the gifts of my dyslexia and explores the place I existed before my diagnosis: my emotional prison.