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Vulnerability in Expression

Artist Statement:

For this two part series, I used a variety of different materials to achieve the effect of mixing painterly aspects with realism. The backgrounds were all done with a warm, neutral grey. These contrast with the 3D elements of flowers and jewelry on top of the finished portraits, which are made with acrylic paint on stretched canvas.

With this series, I wanted to present a predominantly male figure, but add stereo-typically feminine accessories to him in order to make the audience question the gender of the model. I used a mixture of painterly and realistic approaches to these paintings to create further doubt for the viewer. I decided to strip this painting down to its essentials and focus on a vulnerability. I chose this topic again to further the conversation around androgyny and gender identity and the vulnerability faced by people in those communities.

I chose to stay with the same model as my last series to further both of our experiences and our journey through identity. In the photo references I used, my model wore makeup for the first time, which enriched the experience for both of us. By bringing him on as my model for this project again, I was not only educating him on the topic, but helping him on a journey to accepting and discovering himself.

The following are quotes taken from an interview with the model about his thoughts and feelings towards the series:

“I thought at first it would be weird and it may not look good, but once I tried and saw it, I felt like an attractive person. The process of taking the photos felt awkward at first but I warmed up to the idea of expression, I got into it and had fun! Looking at the paintings they make me feel like I can be more open to personally expressing myself in his manor in my everyday life.”

Vulnerability in Expression

Artist Statement:

For this two part series, I used a variety of different materials to achieve the effect of mixing painterly aspects with realism. The backgrounds were all done with a warm, neutral grey. These contrast with the 3D elements of flowers and jewelry on top of the finished portraits, which are made with acrylic paint on stretched canvas.

With this series, I wanted to present a predominantly male figure, but add stereo-typically feminine accessories to him in order to make the audience question the gender of the model. I used a mixture of painterly and realistic approaches to these paintings to create further doubt for the viewer. I decided to strip this painting down to its essentials and focus on a vulnerability. I chose this topic again to further the conversation around androgyny and gender identity and the vulnerability faced by people in those communities.

I chose to stay with the same model as my last series to further both of our experiences and our journey through identity. In the photo references I used, my model wore makeup for the first time, which enriched the experience for both of us. By bringing him on as my model for this project again, I was not only educating him on the topic, but helping him on a journey to accepting and discovering himself.

The following are quotes taken from an interview with the model about his thoughts and feelings towards the series:

“I thought at first it would be weird and it may not look good, but once I tried and saw it, I felt like an attractive person. The process of taking the photos felt awkward at first but I warmed up to the idea of expression, I got into it and had fun! Looking at the paintings they make me feel like I can be more open to personally expressing myself in his manor in my everyday life.”

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Reflections of Societal Expectations

These Painted foil balloons serve as a visual exploration of how people navigate the delicate equilibrium between authenticity and societal pressures. Some with self-portraits are captured within the reflections to highlight this traitorous journey. The shiny, idealized surfaces house a warped perspective of shadows and highlights, emphasizing the contrast between external appearances and inner realities.
For this series of painted foil balloons, I wanted to push my artistic practice. I am primarily a portrait painter but I wanted to experiment with bold, unblended brushstrokes as a way of capturing contrast. All while still retaining the detail and the trickery of the eye into believing it is a 3D object from a distance.

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