Our lives are permeated with surfaces, abundances of designed physical planes which we inadvertently parallel in our own presentations of self. We have learned so well the lessons of total design that we no longer distinguish between reality and perception, a false dichotomy often rendered as one of private realities and public perceptions. Value lies entirely in perception, is equated with perception, and therefore the construction of perceptions now demands increased significance. I believe that operating based merely on appearances as reality is damaging and limiting. Through my overarching creative practice, I subvert the conventions of surface design to challenge internalized systems of self-curation. Using symbols, patterns, and textiles, I deconstruct underlying assumptions of surfaces by revealing their mediated and calculated nature. By embedding a critical challenge combined with vulnerable expression in the visual vernacular of my textiles, I subvert assumptions of surface design as solely superficial. I share deep, personal imagery and narratives within my patterns to expose the artifice of shallow surfaces, positing possibilities for enriching our comprehension of what resides below the surfaces we project.