For Los Angeles-based artist Ave Rose (@averose13), steampunk art is as much about self-expression as it is about inner-healing. “As a child, I would escape to imaginary worlds filled with whimsical creatures. I never really allowed myself to go back there as an adult,” she says. “Then, a life event happened that broke my spirit. That’s when I started creating.” Ave’s first “watchbot” happened by chance, built from pieces of several old, broken watches she came across. “It’s a gateway back into the fantasy realms of my childhood,” she says.
For more art and photography from the steampunk community on Instagram, explore the #steampunk hashtag.
Photo by @averose13