In my practice I use collage, sculpture, and painting to explore psychological phenomena, American culture, and the human condition more broadly. I balance work and play by dabbling in diverse media and styles. I define my style as being seasonal, as I work on several bodies of work at once, but pivot my attention to whatever work best serves the demands of the times and my soul.
During the COVID pandemic my work was very focused on mental health and consumerism as a means of coping, but after becoming pregnant in June 2021, the focus of my life and work has shifted. In response, I’m creating a body of work called “Form and Function”, which analyzes the role of “female” body parts as both organs and ornaments. This body of work is made up of three series: one in sculpture, one in paint, and one in collage.
The first sub-series under this title includes a series of 9-12 resin body castings documenting the most drastically changed areas of my body (my breast, butt, stomach, and maybe genitals) before, after, and during my pregnancy. I acknowledge the way my body has become a resource to my unborn baby by adding bright food stickers reading “made fresh daily”, “rich in calcium”, and “organic” as well as produce bags to these replicas. I show these replicas along with sculptures composed of mounted fruit stuffed inside of now ill-fitting bras.
The second sub-series is composed of three large paintings, which aim to show the ways in which the “female” body is sexualized and de-sexualized through motherhood. I will do this by semi-realistically painting three breastfeeding mothers, one being myself. In each painting both of the mother’s breasts are exposed, but the one actively feeding the child is pixelated while the other is left in full, clear view. The aim is to comment on the way breasts in American society are sexually objectified in some circumstances, while rejected and censored in others.
The final sub-series to be exhibited with these prior two bears and alternative name “The Fertile Myrtles”. Using bright colors and vintage home & garden and porn magazines, I’m creating a series of 12 collages in which sexualized self-identifying females take ownership over their relationships, self-image, and bodies. They incorporate the theme of pregnancy and fertility in multiple scenarios including surrogacy, single parenthood, IVF.
