I have been bullied, ever since I was a little kid. In cruel and subtle ways, I was constantly told that I wasn’t good enough, that there was something wrong with me.

It was painful and did a lot of damage. It would have been easy to believe all the horrible things people said about me.

As a model, creating art has put me on the path to loving myself. Every photo shoot has been a new learning experience, an opportunity for self love. Through this process, I’ve become thankful for my body and what it is capable of.

The most important relationship in my life, is the relationship I have with myself. As a model, what really matters is what I think of myself. That’s what people end up seeing in these images.

My family, friends and dog teach me daily that it doesn’t matter what others think of me or my body. The hate and jealousy people direct towards others is usually due to their own insecurities. You have to be unhappy about something in your own life to try and bring people down. I am so thankful to have people in my life who accept me for who I really am.

I make art to inspire other women who may be plus size or curvy. I want them to know they are not alone and that beauty comes in more than just one size. I strive to show all women, especially those who have been bullied, that there is far more to them than what unkind

and insecure people may say about them based only on appearance. I hope other plus size women will see my art and gain more confidence to believe in themselves and their own talents.

The opportunity to be published in a magazine has been a dream. I never thought it would happen. I have had many people try to stop me because I was not thin enough, beautiful enough or good enough to be called a “model.” I am so proud of myself for not listening to those voices.

I still struggle on occasion with my self image and sometimes have to take it one day at a time. I am thankful for the people who have followed and supported me since the beginning. They see something in me that transcends judgment and body shame. They inspire me to keep going and never give up, no matter how hard it may get.

To everyone who may feel outcast, I want to say … don’t let bullies stand in the way of your dreams. Embrace your curves and your imperfections. It is not your size that defines you! It doesn’t matter what negative things people have to say about you. Learn to have faith in yourself and in your abilities over others’ opinions.

– DEE DETTLING

From conception till the moment we are born, we are suspended in water. Approximately 70% of the human body is composed of this clear fluid substance. Water is essential to the existence of life as we know it.

In his art, Dmitry Laudin takes us deep into this primordial and essential element. Within his images, we are freed of our desperate need to return to the surface for air. We float, at home in the depths, liberated from the heavy gravity of surface life. We fly weightless through deep blue spaces in a symbolic return to the womb of all life.

“Real beauty transcends time. It’s found in the grace of a 2500 year old Greek marble figure and a fleeting gesture of a confident woman who truly knows herself.”  – Gary Samson

Working with Desert Queen was a beautiful and surreal experience. Everything about her seemed natural, fluid, and palpable. Our collaboration was a free-form expression of our creativity. She was uncanny in her anticipation of compositions, as if she’d returned from the future and knew exactly what I imagined for each shot. .

I want viewers to imagine being the model, moving with her, looking back at the lens through her eyes, and maybe even feeling like they inhabit her body. When looking at images in this imaginative way, viewers may be able to see more than they do with just their eyes. In my work, I want to reveal the infinite panorama of beauty and body shape. There is no limit to imagination, and there is no limit to the diversity of human beauty.

– AXIAELITRIX