Hand engraving on brass
14 x 44 inches, 2025

This work preserves the private within the public, drawing on the tradition of hand-engraved inscriptions on objects of daily use; utensils, heirlooms that carry stories of identity, legacy, and remembrance. The engraved piece weaves together the permanence of metal with the fragility of human emotion. The repetition of the affirmation, “Not a criminal,” becomes a quiet yet powerful assertion, exposing the unseen burdens of stigma and internalized guilt in the context of mental health. The work blurs the boundaries between permanence and impermanence, heritage and vulnerability, inviting reflection on the weight of inherited silence and the need for emotional understanding.