Realism vs. Abstraction: Capturing the Complexity of the ADHD Mind through Art

My work is an exploration into the way in which thoughts, feelings, and perceptions of the world manifest themselves in my ADHD brain. To convey these abstract ideas, I utilized charcoal and encaustic wax. The malleability of my chosen mediums represents a sense of control that is ultimately missing in my ADHD brain. Additionally, the use of butane blowtorches, pigment sticks, and found artifacts also speak to the fluid, transient nature of neurodivergent psyches. The ADHD mind sways uncontrollably from logical, clear thinking to unpredictable, enigmatic views of the world and its emotions. In echoing of these competing states of mind, my work oscillates between realism and abstraction, chaos and order, real and unreal. More than just a dive into ADHD thoughts, my work investigates these intersections and the constant pursuit of what’s “real.” Maybe the more lifelike depictions of my world are what’s real, or maybe they’re just lies and deception masquerading as logical truths. Are the abstract, chaotic pieces representative of confusion, a lost grip on reality, or rather, the way the world really is?