Familiar yet new, this project has been an opportunity for me to create art for the human form, rather than depicting the human figure in my art. Cloaked- pun intended- in playfulness is a very sincere effort to empower my inner child who found themself in the possession of a pet Russian tortoise at 9 years old while struggling with gender dysphoria. Now 25 years old, I still own that same tortoise, and I have had a lifelong, complicated relationship with clothing.

In designing a private wardrobe I have been able to explore clothing- just like the shell of the turtle- as comfort, protection, and as an extension of the body. I maintain that every item of clothing in this project is unisex, regardless of whether a particular graphic is girly or boyish, or whether the garment is designed for a male or female silhouette.