AMY
As a kid I was always drawn to the things in the shadows, the ‘monsters’ to be feared, the unexplained evil we were supposed to readily accept as the baddies without ever seeing the story from their point of view. Trying to see those fantasy worlds through the eyes of those to be detested, whose thoughts, feelings and experiences were rarely delved into, made me into someone who really likes to ponder the meaning and purpose of good and evil. What really makes something truly horrible, and what do I just not know enough about to understand any differently?
After struggling with some mental health issues that left me grappling tooth and nail with my so called “demons”, villainising myself for every ‘evil’ thought that ever graced my conscious mind, I found myself alone, completely isolated within my own world, feeling like a stranger to even myself.
“Who are you? What are you?”
I fortunately rediscovered an image of my younger self holding a giant monster head toy I was given for Christmas one year. Looking at the innocent and joyful expression on the face of the girl I once was made me realise just how much I’d unfairly demonised the monsters that dwelled within me.
Feeling a connection to that empathic, sensitive child is incredibly important for me when creating. She brings the warmth and fun into every creature I breathe life into, reminding me to have empathy and understanding of what I fear. What am I? I’m just a kid, a grown up and a bunch of demons trying to navigate being alive in the only way I know how. Together we are the Miserable Beasts.