Artist Statement

I am a mixed media artist who portrays our women’s history in a layered format with the use of many materials to highlight and expose the inequities, missed opportunities, and the unequal distribution of power. Including media from the 1940’s to 1960’s in many of my paintings of mixed media works, I highlight significant transformations that have been overturned over the last 85 years by introducing societal values as they were in that era. My work presents the spectrum of oppression while also illustrating women as sex symbols. I also express the relegated roles women had in keeping and cleaning the house and their expectations. Throughout this, I explore how women have liberated themselves through education and work experience individually and as a subgroup in society. 

I include this juxtaposition as a reminder and a portrayal of the historical perspective on women’s rights and their responsibilities. This underscores women’s gradual journey towards liberation and emancipation that are done both individually and as a collective in society. Many of my pieces reveal expectations and limitations that were imposed and forced upon women by including women engaging in different activities or trends that were only viewed as valuable by men. By exploring and underscoring these themes, my goal is to provoke thought and discussion around the evolution of gender roles and societal norms. I want my viewers to appreciate the diverse perspectives that shape our experiences. Each individual's journey is unique and influenced by varying backgrounds, cultures, and contexts. Working with acrylic paint allows me to conceal and unveil different parts of my layering within a piece.

Incorporating Materials such as Ink, vintage magazine articles and imagery, acrylic paint, tape, and wax have all become central to my creative and working process. These methodologies allow me to build a layered narrative and visual pathway throughout the compositions in my work. The old LIFE magazine articles and media serve as historical artifacts for embedding my work with the voices and images of women from that era. These articles act as a canvas for dialogue that allows viewers to connect with the past while contemplating the present. I alter and deconstruct the articles and media based on what I’m trying to display, hide, demonstrate, or emphasize. Through acrylic paint, mixed materials, and techniques, I can direct the viewer’s attention to specific areas and move their eyes around the painting. Having the negative space of tape or paint indicates the things that weren’t talked about while showing different aspects and parts of the piece being covered up to intrigue the viewer. This also relates to the different achievements women had accomplished that were covered up/credited by men. I work to cover and expose certain parts of specific statements and media to not focus on the people but on the act of what they are doing. Each of my pieces is a dialogue with the past, inviting viewers to reflect on how far we have come and how much further we still need to go.