My inspiration begins with color, whimsical elements, the costume box of my childhood; the wings, the scales, sequins, gauzy veils, plastic jewels, fake fur; enchanted anything. While my aesthetic is very playful, the more serious message becomes transparent after the eye adjusts to the lush colors and shapes. My collection conveys strength through its body disguising silhouettes without losing a sense of whimsy.
7 x 11 - cardboard, magazines, pen, gems, photography, glue
25 x 15 - old sweatshirt, beads, fabric, lace, embroidery thread, stuffing, elastic
These works feel childlike their airy qualities and hyper-femininity represent innocence, a highly gendered trait associated with youth. There is intimacy in the dreaminess and the literal transparency of materials. My goal is to create something beautiful in undesirable shapes. Those undesirable shapes, modest and billowy, de-emphasize the body. Upon second glance the body is revealed, complicating what beauty means who gets to decide. This also symbolizes innocence. Usually the more the body is revealed, the less innocence is assumed. I believe that an exposed body is instead more akin to innocence in that it is vulnerable and open to all stimuli. The trouble with innocence is that it is constantly being diminished by the world. As innocence is undone, a hardening takes place, both within the individual and from without, through heightened scrutiny and judgement. I use materials to mimic delicacy and discomfort,representing seemingly innocuous events that reveal their fraudulence as innocence corrodes. Innocence is desirable in all of its openness and trust, but as it fades with experience the individual is left feeling precarious and dispensable. My work represents the tension between the beauty and desirability of childlike innocence, with the inevitability of its leaving and becoming corrupted.
60 x 20 - found blanket, rope, thread, yarn
10 x 17 - oil pastel, oil paint, canvas paper
17 x 23 - oil paint
7 x 11 - researched images, scissors, glue, photoshop
7 x 11 - researched images, scissors, glue, photoshop
7 x 11 - researched images, scissors, glue, photoshop
7 x 11 - researched images, scissors, glue, photoshop