INner Bonds comics

Artist Statement

Inner Bonds is my narrative comic series, depicting an allegorical representation of human feelings through anthropomorphic characters. Each anthropomorphic character represents a specific feeling, with the central trio representing anxiety, misfortune, and insecurity. Every character has a color associated with it, creating a bold color palette to mimic how vivid emotions can be in our everyday lives. 

 The Inner Bonds zines serve as the narrative backbone for this body of work from which all the other elements are derived. Each of the four current volumes focuses on one of the three main characters, introducing additional characters in the fourth volume. The story follows the feelings for which each character represents; additionally, the paper color changes from volume to volume to reflect who is the focus. Inner Bonds Volume One centers on Benny the Bunny who encounters misfortune and must go on a hunt for their stuffed bear, which has gone missing. They find that Stitches has stolen it, an uncanny amalgamation of stuffed animal heads and limbs. Its shape mimics a caterpillar as Stitches symbolize childhood turbulence and the feelings stuck there. Volume Two centers on Kay the Cow’s insecurities around their body and diet, which are greatly affected by a gluten allergy. Ollie the Opossum’s growing anxiety toward the odd growth at the abandoned treehouse that Stitches inhabits is the central focus of Volume Three. Volume Four focuses on escaping the opened chasm and the stuffed animal’s hands with the drug Ollie beneath the surface into the burrow. As Benny, Kay, and Stitches search for Ollie, they explore more below the surface and uncover that they are not alone; other feelings are lurking beneath the surface of the treehouse. This introduces Briar the Badger and Carver the Coyote, who represent more repressed feelings of anger and depression, respectively. 

Specific double-page spreads are taken from each zine volume and enlarged to allow these moments to be displayed in conjunction with the zines. The imagery being selected for silk screening takes place before and after the climax of that volume’s narrative. These prints appear in eye-catching fluorescent tones and draw the viewer's attention to the imagery, making them pause to evaluate the piece and feeling within. The installation, Tree House, takes the imagery off the pages of the comics and puts it into a three-dimensional space. It features the different cardboard cutouts of scenery and characters as they explore the area around the house that Stitches is inhabiting.  

All the separate elements feature the same color palette and aesthetic that, when together, create a multilayered experience. This body of work strives to communicate the importance of our emotions while invoking feelings through the various forms of making.  

ZINES