🌿 Sensory overload can affect anyone when they are overwhelmed by many types of stimuli, like sounds, visual details, or tactile sensations. For me, as someone with ADHD, this sensitivity is particularly strong. My ability to filter out distractions and focus on what’s important is often limited, which makes the effects of sensory overload even worse.

I often find myself in situations that seem completely normal to others but are overwhelming for me. The habits and expectations of those around me frequently clash with my own challenges and needs. Additionally, there are often biases, a lack of empathy, and a reluctance to understand my perspective and reality.

It would make a big difference if there was more willingness to recognize and understand my viewpoint.

Some might claim that it doesn’t matter what others think, but they overlook the fact that these attitudes directly impact my quality of life and the opportunities available to me. I do my best to make the most of what life offers to meet my needs. I accept that certain areas may be closed off to me because I have to, not because I believe it is right or good. Some things are like the weather because you can't really control them and you have to learn to dance in the rain.

“Inner Development”

Here artistic intent and unexpected influences merge. This work, originally intended as a print of a bare foot in dried and cracked paint, took a fascinating turn.

A vibrant palette of green and yellow tones, infused with traces of nature. It wasn't my hand, but beetles that found their way unnoticed that left their mark here. The original vision has been reinterpreted by nature, and the beetles' damage is now a powerful symbol of change and unpredictability.

In this unexpected collaboration I find an organic metaphor for metamorphosis and change. The traces of the beetle metamorphosis, as unintentional symbolism, tells a story of transformation and the unstoppable passage of time. Art and nature merge into a unique aesthetic fusion of planned creativity and spontaneous influences.

I consciously decided against the original footprint in order to preserve the traces of the beetles. This was not a defeat, but a choice that intensified the dialogue between art and chance. The work thus becomes a timeless testimony to the beauty that arises from the symbiosis of human creativity and the power of nature.

In ‘Inner Development’ we see, how the creative process goes beyond the boundaries of intention. The unintended elements are not mistakes but sources of inspiration. This work invites you to discover the beauty in the unexpected and experience the transformative power of art.

The painting is a 20cm x 20cm egg tempera on canvas. The beetles are drugstore beetles (Stegobium paniceum). These have gone through all stages of development inside the dried paint. I collected them and cleaned the painting. It was then disinfected in the oven and prepared with linseed oil varnish. What remains is a detailed landscape that tells a colorful story of life.

When you think about the universe, don't forget to take a look inside.