ABOUT THE HEALING NATURE OF ART.

>> ALEX, A LOCAL ART STUDENT IS USING HER ARTWORK TO EXPLORE HER RELIGIOUS UPBRINGING.

IT IS A PROCESS ABOUT FOUR YEARS IN THE MAKING AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF TRAUMA.

NOW SHE IS USING ART AS A TOOL TO MOVE FORWARD.

>> MY PARENTS DID NOT GROW UP WITH A LOT OF MONEY.

WE DO NOT GO TO ART MUSEUMS.

THE CHURCH BECAME THE ART MUSEUM.

THE STAINED-GLASS AND THE COLORFUL IMAGERY BECAME THE VISUAL LANGUAGE WHEN I FIRST STARTED PRACTICING DRAWING.

I STARTED WITH RELIGIOUS FIGURES BECAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE MY PARENTS PROUD.

>> BUT JACKIE SAYS HER RELATIONSHIP WITH RELIGION DRAMATICALLY CHANGED DURING HER TEENAGE YEARS.

>> CATHOLICISM IN GENERAL IS LIKE SO PREVALENT IN BEING LIKE LATINO.

IT IS KIND OF, IT IS REALLY HARD TO SEPARATE THE TWO.

THERE WAS A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE MY MOM THOUGHT THAT I WAS POSSESSED BY SOMETHING.

SHE THOUGHT OUR WHOLE FAMILY WAS BEING ATTACKED BY DEMONS OF SOME SORT, AND IT WAS VERY HARD TO WATCH MY MOM AND FAMILY IN GENERAL GO THROUGH THIS STAGE OF MADNESS.

>> SHE SAYS IT WOULD SOON REACH A BREAKING POINT.

>> AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS OF GOING THROUGH CONSTANTLY BEING TOLD THAT THERE IS A DEMON IN YOU, THE CATALYST WAS MY MOM HAD AN EXORCISM DONE ON ME, SO I HAD TO BE CLEANSED, IN HER WORDS .

AFTER THE EXORCISM WAS DONE, SHE KIND OF LIKE, FOR HER IT WAS HEALING, BUT FOR ME IT WAS THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE.

>> SHE WOULD GO ON TO USE HER ART NOT ONLY TO PROCESS WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HER, BUT AS A TOOL TO BOTH HEAL AND FORGIVE.

>> THERE ARE LITTLE SYMBOLS IN MY PIECES, LIKE THE LINE IS REOCCURRING AND IN THE EXORCISM SHE HAD TO RUB ME WITH THE LIME AND CANDLES AND I USE THAT AS A SYMBOL TO REPRESENT BOTH THE EXORCISM, CLEANSING, BUT ALSO THE OPPOSITE OF CLEANSING.

>> PORTRAYING HER THAT CHICKENS ARE ANOTHER IMPORTANT THEME.

>> AND IN GENERAL SHOW AND UNCONDITIONAL LOVE THAT I APPRECIATE.

THEY HELPED ME RECONNECT WITH THAT HISTORY THAT I HAVE IN MEXICO, AND MY IDENTITY.

THAT HAS BEEN THE ONE THING CHICKENS IN GENERAL HAVE BEEN THE ONE THING THAT HELPS ME CONNECT.

>> SHE SAYS HER JOURNEY IS VERY MUCH A PROCESS.

SHE NOW IDENTIFIES AS AGNOSTIC AND .

>> WHAT YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THESE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF YOURSELF?

>> INTERESTING.

I SEE A LITTLE SADNESS IN THEM, BUT I AM ALSO HOPEFUL.

THERE IS ONE IN THE CORNER AND I AM HOLDING HER HAND.

I FEEL SADNESS BUT ALSO HAPPINESS FOR THEM BECAUSE THAT VERSION IS LIKE A BABY VERSION OF ME.

I FEEL BAD FOR IT, BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT THE PAST VERSION IS GOING TO GO THROUGH BUT I ALSO FEEL HAPPY BECAUSE I KNOW WHERE I AM NOW.