Alive. Grateful. Succulent. I am all of them and they represent my way of connecting with my inner feelings and self-expression through ink patterns and colored pastels in a bold and fun way. I have 17 scars on my body with the largest being a 4-foot scar. I am rebuilt using a cadaver, metal plates, screws and titanium. It was through that rebuilding and rehabilitation process that I had to explore and find a new version of myself. My “ink patterns” allow me to transfer the deep and intimate feelings I have about the scars on by body into ink patterns. It is a relief and the color I add to each of my pieces expresses the vibrancy I still have inside of me for living. Frida Kahlo inspires me in many ways. She used her art to express what was deep inside – “I don’t paint dreams or nightmares, I paint my own reality.” And that is true for me. In this three-piece series I am expressing that I am alive. I am grateful to be an emerging artist. And that I am a succulent woman. For me, my abstract art is created using lines and colors that transfer a story of pain, resilience and hope through every stroke. Each unique piece can be viewed as an explorative expression that tells a symbolic story, inviting the viewer to connect to their own experiences or the work can just be admired for its bold colors or unique patterns. I advocate for and present on the power of the healing arts as a part of a body, mind, and spirit practice. Miriam is an Arts4All Florida Registry Artist.