Smile Like Nothing Hurts

12×16-inch print reproduction of a colored-pencil drawing, reprinted on matte archival paper.

I based this self-portrait on a selfie I took in 2007. I used to mask my sadness with a carefree smile. When I was hurting and confused about how I was treated in my relationship, I acted as if things were peachy. The title describes how I dealt with emotional pain, and also what I was literally doing the moment I pressed the shutter release on my camera.