Back in 2019, I used to draw myself as a cartoon sheet ghost. Feeling depressed and non-existent, ghosts (and anything Halloween-y) caught my attention. That’s when I started drawing this cartoon ghost doing or saying things I would. 

One evening, I roamed Macy’s and found a black Mickey Mouse beanie. It fit a bit too tight, but I figured it would loosen up over time. After trying it on, putting it back, and trying it on again, I decided to purchase it. There was something about it. It wasn’t the Disney logo that was getting my attention; it was the 90s vibe it gave off.

An hour later, I walked out of Macy’s with a warm head sporting my new beanie. The fashion stylist in me was proud of my decision.

Whenever someone complimented me, they asked if I was a Mickey Mouse/Disney fan. “Actually, no,” I’d reply, “This is for a 90’s aesthetic.” Perplexed, they’d nod their heads and move the conversation along.

It was then that I drew this ghost in my small sketchbook. “It’s a 90’s aesthetic” was my ready answer, so I wrote the phrase next to my self-portrait.

Years later, I look back and wish I would have drawn more of these ghosts. I liked that I captured myself doing unordinary things and documenting what I thought and felt at the moment. I think translating the rawness of my feelings onto paper makes my art more “me.”