An Ode

The theme of this project was intentionally chosen as a tribute to the women in Abigail’s life who have played a pivotal role in her healing from compounded traumas during very turbulent days.

An ode to the women who saved me:

To the women who went out of their way to drop off coffee with cinnamon and an everything bagel in the early morning before work.

To the women who invited me into welcoming homes with warm beds to sleep in.

To the women who flew across the country to hold me when I felt lost.

To the women who scream-sing the lyrics to every song on Lorde’s Melodrama album in the car on the way home from the beach.

To the women who frustratingly reminded me of my worth, even when I did not want to hear it.

To the women who always listen to my podcast-length audio messages with anticipatory glee.

To the women who surprised me with a Saturday photography workshop after I briefly mentioned I would be interested in learning more about film.

To the women who match my obsessive auntie energy whenever I receive a Facetime call from my darling nieces.

To the women who slow dance with me on my birthday weekend while Kacey Musgraves’ Dinner With Friends plays in the background.

To the women who did not judge my choices as I found the way back to myself.

To the women who filled my soul with unconditional love.


The artist displayed vulnerability as Abigail’s strength. The blooming heart in the center symbolizes rhythm, life, and growth. As wild flowers in a meadow, Abigail grows and blooms. The manipulated copper barbed wire wrapped around Abigail’s upper body resembles the sense of struggle, pain and control. The juxtaposition of the soft, blossoming heart and the harsh, constricting wire creates a powerful visual contrast, reflecting the tension between inner strength and external challenges.