The Ascent

The Storybook System
Digital drawing of a nude figure with a sweet expression, draped in a long blue cloth, with long brown hair, angelic wings and two pairs of arms. One hand holds a paper crane, and four more cranes hang from the other arms. In the background, a sun appears over the figure's head like a halo, and the text reads 'In my mind you have ascended, the paper angel who flew headlong into the sun'.

Artist’s statement:

This piece was inspired by the way nostalgia can make people seem perfect in memories, especially if they are missed greatly by the person remembering them. In remembering someone’s best qualities and choosing not to dwell on flaws, a person can reach an angelic status in the memories of those who loved them. As an artist with a dissociative disorder, the way memory can be warped is particularly fascinating.

The Storybook System is a collective of self-taught artists with OSDD-1b. They strive to create so that fellow disabled and neurodivergent folks can see themselves represented in art and writing. They are currently based in Savannah, Georgia. Their social media accounts include a personal Instagram, @storybooksystem, an art Instagram, @storybook.art, and a personal Twitter, @storybooksystm.

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