aging & maturing - solo exhibition (2023)
“Aging & Maturing” is a reflection and evolution of the history of my identity. Growing up, hanging meat provoked a feeling of reminiscence while personifying a time of unrefined youth. The creation of my hanging works is akin to the process of butchering, a masculine industry and art form. This bold and precise process is familiar and comforting; my drawings are carefully cut and curated, and my paintbrush allows me to draw broadly and loosely, imbuing my physicality with each stroke. Through this process, I capture flesh, form, light, and shadow.
As this process matures, so does my reflection on my past.
I’ve gained a nurturing perspective through my growing responsibilities in life. I convey the role of nurturer through fruit and foliage - delicate and natural. These natural elements, combined with my vibrant color palette, give my paintings a feeling of femininity - traits I often eschewed in my youth - but now find essential to my work. Seeking to evoke a balance of feminine and masculine energy, the fruits and plants in these paintings soften the striking presence of my meaty subjects while helping me cultivate a more harmonious identity for myself.