MICHELE MARDORF
ART DIRECTOR
STAGE ONE:
The first stage of wound healing is called hemostasis, and it begins with your bleeding and finding a way to stop it.
Starting with a blank canvas, I "bled" my truths onto my piece.
STAGE TWO:
Clotting and scabbing phase. Once your wound isn’t bleeding anymore, the body can begin cleaning and healing it.
Covering my truths over with gold leaf to represent the scabbing phase.
STAGE THREE:
Once the wound is clean and stable, your body can begin rebuilding the site. It’s like a construction site, except your body makes its own building materials. Collagen is produced, which helps to repair the skin and tissues in the wound.
When the main layer of gold leaf is set and stable, it is time to combine adhesive with gold bits to cover the parts that are still open, over and over, until all areas have been repaired.
STAGE FOUR:
Maturation and strengthening. Even after your wound looks closed and repaired, it’s still healing. You may feel itching or tightness over the area.

The last stage involved using a sealer to protect the gold leaf, writing the word "heal", and appreciating it from afar as I continue growing and healing.
Credits
Art Direction: Michele Mardorf
Copywriting: Michele Mardorf
Art: Michele Mardorf