'The Beauty of Queer Existence'
18 x 24 oil on wood panel
2023
The idea for this project was stuck in my head for months before even starting it. I wanted to capture how queer people are everyday people, they exist, and they are beautiful. To do this, I painted oil portraits of four queer peers. Additionally, I wanted to add an element of community, something that is extremely valuable to queer people. To do this, I created mini linocut prints for my subjects to write on. I asked them to share their thoughts about what queerness and this project mean to them.
'Schitty I' & 'Maggie Antoinette'
16 x 20 digital
2019, 2022
These are two commissions of a cat, Schitty, and a dog, Maggie. Both are appropriations of portraits of royalty (The Ermine Portrait of Queen Elizabeth by William Segar and Marie Antoinnette with a Rose by Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, respectively). Both subjects are donning the clothing of the two queens, with some changes to reflect their personalities. For example, instead of a rose, Maggie is holding a half-destroyed pig toy, and instead of an ermine, a mouse is leaning on Schitty.
'Deep Sea Affection'
8.5 x 11 linocut
2022
I wanted to create a piece that was sweet and romantic. My motivation for choosing mermaids was simply because I have always loved them. I thought it would be interesting to combine these and depict mermaids in love since we usually see them luring sailors to their deaths.
'We Are All Bath Toys in God’s Kiddie Pool'
48 x 36 oil on canvas
2023
I love painting with bright colors. It forces me to make interesting decisions when rendering a portrait. I referenced an image from the Center for Great Apes but made it as whimsical as possible. It ended up as a fun and lighthearted piece that reflects the playfulness of orangutans.
'Explorations in Charcoal'
18 x 24 charcoal on newsprint
2020
Contrast is something I love to play with when drawing. Charcoal is a great medium for doing so. The goal of these drawings was to push contrast and showcase texture across a variety of objects. These three pieces exemplify what I can achieve with charcoal.
'Chris' & 'Mitski'
9 x 12 pencil on watercolor paper
2022
I wanted to explore stylization when drawing portraits in pencil. While they vary in levels of realism, I found that I could create works that look like the person I am drawing while also making it obvious that it is my art.
'David Bowie' & 'Chris Cornell'
16 x 20 digital
2021
My goal was to use unnatural colors and still establish strong contrast. While these may appear monochromatic, I did use a variety of hues, making them analogous pieces. I chose to depict two musicians I admire not only for their voices and musical talent, but also their unique aesthetics.