This is a digital illustration of my friend Kate. Within queer circles there is a concept called ‘Chosen Family’. Your chosen family is made up of the people you bear no relation to, and yet your lives and experiences are so similar it forms a tight bond which runs deeper than friendship.
The queer rural experience is often portrayed by the media through loneliness, and while this is somewhat true, I think so much queer joy is skimmed over.
I spent my teenage years confused, but I didn't have to spend them alone. As a creative outlet Kate and I would plan photo shoots, I'd help proofread her poetry and with many other friends we’d bond over music. One tattoo depicted in the illustration is ‘Face the Strange’ a line from David Bowie's ‘Changes’ which Kate shares with some of our other chosen family members.
The green of the plants. The orange of her hair. How the flowers bloom around her. This is my depiction of rural queerness.
It's a love letter not just to her but to all our friends. We were fortunate enough to grow up in a beautiful place which helped inspire us. I could go on and on about the impact internet culture had on our lives too- but that would be too long and could become essay worthy.
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