Thank you for joining me

About me… 
That dreaded about me page 
Feel different now though 
Like I’m ready to actually tell you about me

One who has endured, not because I must, but because I will. And through it all, when all else failed, art was there. It gave me the only safe place I had ever known. I didn’t find art because I had a natural talent for it or a good eye for aesthetic. Not because I actually enjoyed it. You know I didn’t actually find art at all. Never looked for it, never tried, never efforted it. Art found me. Over and over in so many different places. And it saved my life. Healed my soul. And allowed me to create, myself, and a life worth living.

Hello, my name is Dustin Cunningham and I am a survivor of  CPTSD and I use my art as a tool to ease my transitions through the challenges that this brings to my life. Throughout my life, I have experimented with many different expressive modalities and find that every single one is of its own unique and beautiful benefit. 

Living with trauma, brings on many complex and nuanced to challenges. So much of the processing that determines our responses happens on a subconscious level, beyond our awareness or control. Reflexive. I know for me this is incredibly painful, to witness myself behaving in these patterned that have become patterned because of how much I’ve been hurt, sabotage my intent. It is empty and powerless feeling.

Art is the tool that I have found to fill myself with an empowered sense of purpose. It will allow us to both find peace in the moment, while simultaneously striving for more. It allows me to work with and through their subconscious to create a world of my choosing, both internally and externally. These tools can be used to reduce stress, through simple mindfulness. The creative potential goes much further than that. With intention, one can actively engage with their subconscious to change stories, and envision perfect outcomes. I call this "The Art of You"

We have always kind of innately known the power of these sort of creative act.  At this point science has caught up with this inner knowing, by affirming the creative power of such actions. Quantum physics teaches us that ones reality is relative and may be constructed at will, perhaps is regardless if aware. Eppigenetics teaches us that environments do directly affect the genetic make up of organisms, are alterd, by willfull intention. Our understanding of psychology teaches us more and more the power of the mind to affect one’s life, either for the positive or negative. 

Art allows us to healthfully engage in all these practices simultaneously. Through this one can gain the power to witness the shortcomings of one’s self, and change these deficits into strength. It can help shift the ones perspective from that of a victim of the world, to a creator of the world. And most importantly. For those of us that were never taught how to love ourselves. This provides a direct connection to that much needed missing piece of information. It allows us to express, comprehend, and compassionately witness all parts of ourselves. It allows us to provide new definitions, we can label ourselves perfect. Because we are. All of us. Perfect hole and complete.

On the next couple pages, you will find a collection of my artistic works organized has the best I could. Because honestly, it feels weird to sometimes separate everything out into components. and I am knida all over the place. I am a sculptor, writer, dancer, photographer, model, painter, pen, and artist. I host healing workshops. yup, all over the place, that's how I like it. but honestly the thing i am most intrested in is working with other creatives, colobrative co-creating, I think that's when it is the best. So, reach out, say hi! let's see what we can create together.