As someone who grew up attending Catholic school, I was sheltered from all things relating to the body. It was something that was rarely ever really talked about in the community. I was very ashamed of my body, not only because of the stigma that exists within the Catholic Church, but also because I suffer from a rare disease called Mastocytosis. I found that figure painting has helped me build a more healthy relationship with the human form. The more I painted my body, the more I grew to like it, and the less I tried to hide myself. Although it was scary at first to paint something so vulnerable, it also felt very  empowering. It has helped me learn to accept myself in a way that was previously very difficult for me.