City: Lafayette

Brain Injury: Motor Vehicle Accident

Explanation of Mask: My mask symbolizes the unpredictable emotions that come from a traumatic brain injury.  I didn’t use a brush so my mask shows an overwhelming amount of paint, which represents my overwhelming thoughts, pain, loss of senses and lots of confusion.  I want to live life in color and not focus on black and white (negativity).  Metallic blues and purples symbolize royalty and heaven and the ability to look death in the face and see the heavens.  Those colors also represent God, faith and the feeling of a memory coming back.  Waves and tropical colors represent water for its healing and also for my waves of emotion.  These colors help me cherish every memory and shows the zest I feel when gaining a memory back.  The texture shows red by my brain because I know my injury is always going to be there but I can still be powerful.  My lips are red because sometimes all I can do is put on lipstick and smile through the pain and empty thoughts but be grateful.