Grady Mahusay

Title: Dysphoria
Medium: Digital Illustration
Year Created: 2020

Artist Statement:

This piece was created before I even realized that I’m non-binary, which is why I hold it so close to my heart. When I make my pieces, I don’t really sketch things out, I just let the story unfold and I think my underlying battle with gender dysphoria and acceptance jumped out for this one. I’m not out to my family yet, but I think creating stories about these issues within my work helps me get more comfortable with talking about it. For many of us, looking into the mirror and seeing the person you used to be, or even looking at an old picture can be really tough. Being my authentic self has really caused my art to open up in many ways and has fueled the overall love for my craft.