Acrylic, ink, conte, gold leaf on canvas.

47.50x47.50"

Strength in Softness - part of From The Darkness Comes the Light collection
47.5" x 47.5"

May we learn to be strong by being soft. May we gain our strength from the courage it takes to let our guard down; by letting others in and showing vulnerability; by allowing fear to come pouring out so that healing can begin.

To be soft is to be without hard edges, without daggers, without swords or blades. Softness is gentle like the petals of a flower. Gentle like the downy carpet of a grassy field. Softness is always strong in its collective. One petal alone cannot guard the pollen of a flower, but many together form a barrier. One blade of grass is meaningless and insignificant, but many together make for a breathtaking surface of movement and colour that protects the Earth beneath it.

In numbers, softness is strong. And in this vein of thought, I invite you to collect all the soft parts of your heart, mind and soul and celebrate them for their collective strength. For me, these parts of myself come together to create a strong person - not an invincible person, but one who has become strong in her conviction and truth.

Your softness is your superpower: your ability to bend, break, crumble and come back again afterwards, tougher than before. Your softness makes for gentle hugs from strong arms, soft cushioning upon a courageous chest, gently rounded curves of the shoulders that have carried the burdens of others without hesitation.

Your softness IS your strength.

____
The From The Darkness Comes The Light collection explores the intense feeling of levity that finally strikes after a heavy period of pain and suffering. These works are a reminder not to be afraid of the darkness. In order to release the pain that you’re feeling, you have to feel it. Pain is unpleasant, emotional and physical pain alike. We have associated pain as being a negative emotion, but what if we accepted emotional pain as just another feeling? Just like happiness and joy, it is merely a feeling, and it won’t last forever. This series serves as a reminder that sometimes the greatest joy follows times of intense pain.

Flashe, acrylic, coloured pencil on canvas.

32x32"

A Whole Meal - Love Letters (To My Exes) collection
32" x 32"

We each brought our pain to the table and ate it for dinner. We shared every bite: savoured the tender parts, cried over the grisly bits, and argued over who deserved more dessert.

You do, no you do.

It was sickeningly sweet. Sometimes a gift comes in the form of a person who shouldn’t stay. Sometimes a snack can be a whole meal.

*This painting was inspired by the song Don’t Let Go (Love) by En Vogue.

____
This collection is a cheeky exploration of “love” and dating from the artist’s perspective as a confident, intellectual woman in her mid-30s. The artist playfully reflects on past romantic encounters to examine which were ruled by the heart vs. the mind. The heart is the true centre of human intelligence, not the brain. The heart is all-knowing, in its intuitive ability to discern when to push or pull, expand or retract. The brain’s tendency to overthink and overanalyze is not a sign of intelligence, but an anxious attempt to intellectualize emotions in order to avoid actually feeling them.

This playful collection explores the themes of identity, attachment, moments of clarity and cathexis that are prevalent in the search for love. The artist aspires to be vulnerable in exposing the various ways she has celebrated or abandoned parts of herSelf in her past relationships and encounters, and the feelings of triumph, shame, growth and sadness that have been part of her journey in dating.

The short excerpts that inspired the works in this collection were taken from the artist’s personal journal and paintings were created with specific songs in mind.

Flashe, acrylic, coloured pencil on canvas.

40x50"

Red Flat - Love Letters (To My Exes) Collection
40" x 50"

It was there all along. I saw it on day one. I turned a blind eye because of that smile, those dimples. Those blue eyes. Those arms. Oh man, those arms. I convinced myself the red could have been green, could have been gray, could have been violet. But it was red. And it was flapping in the wind. I didn’t want to see it because then I’d have to admit I was addicted to the toxic. Toxic was familiar. Toxic felt safe.

And I had a red flag of my own. And he turned a blind eye, too. Turns out we were two red flags flapping in the wind, pretending to heal each other when we just needed to heal ourselves.

I still think of him.

*This painting was inspired by the song #1 Crush (Nellee Hooper Mix) by Garbage

____
This collection is a cheeky exploration of “love” and dating from the artist’s perspective as a confident, hetero, intellectual woman in her mid-30s. The artist playfully reflects on past romantic encounters to examine which were ruled by the heart vs. the mind. The heart is the true centre of human intelligence, not the brain. The heart is all-knowing, in its intuitive ability to discern when to push or pull, expand or retract. The brain’s tendency to overthink and overanalyze is not a sign of intelligence, but an anxious attempt to intellectualize emotions in order to avoid actually feeling them.

This playful collection explores the themes of identity, attachment, moments of clarity and cathexis that are prevalent in the search for love. The artist aspires to be vulnerable in exposing the various ways she has celebrated or abandoned parts of herSelf in her past relationships and encounters, and the feelings of triumph, shame, growth and sadness that have been part of her journey in dating.

The short excerpts that inspired the works in this collection were taken from the artist’s personal journal and paintings were created with specific songs in mind.

Acrylic, ink, coloured pencil on canvas.

40x50"

Conquests - part of the Love Letters (To My Exes) collection

My pain. My plans. My hopes. My regrets. My shortcomings. My triumphs. My conquests. My heart. My mind. My head. My body. My turn. My time. Get on board or get out of my way. My choice.

*This painting was inspired by the song Look Who's Crying Now by Jessie Murph
_______
This collection is a cheeky exploration of “love” and dating from the artist’s perspective as a confident, intellectual woman in her mid-30s. The artist playfully reflects on past romantic encounters to examine which were ruled by the heart vs. the mind. The heart is the true centre of human intelligence, not the brain. The heart is all-knowing, in its intuitive ability to discern when to push or pull, expand or retract. The brain’s tendency to overthink and overanalyze is not a sign of intelligence, but an anxious attempt to intellectualize emotions in order to avoid actually feeling them.

This playful collection explores the themes of identity, attachment, moments of clarity and cathexis that are prevalent in the search for love. The artist aspires to be vulnerable in exposing the various ways she has celebrated or abandoned parts of herSelf in her past relationships and encounters, and the feelings of triumph, shame, growth and sadness that have been part of her journey in dating.

The short excerpts that inspired the works in this collection were taken from the artist’s personal journal and paintings were created with specific songs in mind.

Acrylic, spray paint, coloured pencil on raw canvas.

36x40"

It's On You 36" x 40" (part of the Hold Collection)

"It’s on you to make it happen. Hold tight to the parts of yourself that believe in you. Hold onto the parts of yourself that need you the most. Hold onto the dream, the goals, the joy, the peace, the love, the happiness. Let the pain go. It’s on you, now. You’re the only one who can truly decide what is worth carrying."

The Hold collection is inspired by the concept of baskets - vessels that were designed to hold and carry items only of a certain size…not everything was meant to be carried. Grains of sand, water, soil, beads, pebbles, leaves, berries… still slip through the cracks. The baskets are meant to hold onto what truly matters, and release whatever doesn’t. The cracks are there to let whatever shouldn’t be contained slip away. The history of basket making has been lost - the basket couldn’t even hold onto its own story. This collection explores the paradox that exists in the moments of time when letting go is essential in order to be able to carry on with what matters. Not everything or everyone was meant to be kept.

Acrylic, spray paint, poppy seeds, coloured pencil on raw canvas.

36x40"

Have You Seen My Poppy Seeds? 36" x 40" (part of the Hold Collection)

"It’s on you to make it happen. Hold tight to the parts of yourself that believe in you. Hold onto the parts of yourself that need you the most. Hold onto the dream, the goals, the joy, the peace, the love, the happiness. Let the pain go. It’s on you, now. You’re the only one who can truly decide what is worth carrying."

The Hold collection is inspired by the concept of baskets - vessels that were designed to hold and carry items only of a certain size…not everything was meant to be carried. Grains of sand, water, soil, beads, pebbles, leaves, berries… still slip through the cracks. The baskets are meant to hold onto what truly matters, and release whatever doesn’t. The cracks are there to let whatever shouldn’t be contained slip away. The history of basket making has been lost - the basket couldn’t even hold onto its own story. This collection explores the paradox that exists in the moments of time when letting go is essential in order to be able to carry on with what matters. Not everything or everyone was meant to be kept.

Flashe, acrylic, spray paint, coloured pencil on raw canvas.

40x60"

Fortitude 40" x 60" (part of the Mirror Collection)

"To see good in others is to see good in yourself.
To see strength in others is to recognize strength in yourself.
To see pain in others is to honour the pain your own heart holds.
To see fragility in others is to make peace with your own vulnerability.

To embody Fortitude, is to be at ease with the exhaustion that comes from being resilient.

One final homage to the Mirror collection is this painting that celebrates the strength and fragility of the people who make up the city of Hamilton. The strong and powerful, the meek and fragile, the wealthy and the working class. The communities who work together, the groups who clash. The tall rises with glass windows that look down on the steel mills and paved roads that support them. A reminder that glass can be cracked, fractured and chipped, and yet, still remain intact; a reminder that steel can be bent, warped and dented, but it cannot be broken."


The Mirror collection is an exploration of who people are according to themselves vs. who people appear to be to others, and whether these two "identities" are actually one in the same or entirely different personas. The artist asks the question of whether or not one's sense of Self can exist without the context of who she is according to other people.

The reflection one sees of themselves in a mirror is an inverted image of what others see - a mirror, the tool we use to view ourselves, is not even an accurate depiction of what we look like to others.

The mirror is an unreliable source of reflection but it's ironically used daily to ensure "we look our best" or "look like ourselves" before facing other people. The artist is exploring the concepts of truth and perception as it relates to the Self, and whether or not the identities people claim as their own are naturally formed and inherited at birth or fabricated and curated over the years as a result of life experiences and the influence of other people.

The artist used personal items including clothing, shoes and cosmetics to create these pieces, focusing on the juxtaposition between line work and fluid forms to express the tension between the varying degrees of masculine and feminine energies the artist has identified in herSelf.

Flashe, acrylic, pastel, charcoal on canvas.

46x46"

32-25-34
46" x 46" (part of the Mirror Collection)

"Inspired by the quote by Abraham Hicks: "there’s nothing to prove, just life to live," this painting title notes the artist's body measurements as way of commenting on how the least important thing about her or anyone else is one's body size, and yet it remains at the forefront of conversations for women."



The Mirror collection is an exploration of who people are according to themselves vs. who people appear to be to others, and whether these two "identities" are actually one in the same or entirely different personas. The artist asks the question of whether or not one's sense of Self can exist without the context of who she is according to other people.

The reflection one sees of themselves in a mirror is an inverted image of what others see - a mirror, the tool we use to view ourselves, is not even an accurate depiction of what we look like to others.

The mirror is an unreliable source of reflection but it's ironically used daily to ensure "we look our best" or "look like ourselves" before facing other people. The artist is exploring the concepts of truth and perception as it relates to the Self, and whether or not the identities people claim as their own are naturally formed and inherited at birth or fabricated and curated over the years as a result of life experiences and the influence of other people.

The artist used personal items including clothing, shoes and cosmetics to create these pieces, focusing on the juxtaposition between line work and fluid forms to express the tension between the varying degrees of masculine and feminine energies the artist has identified in herSelf.

Spray paint, flashe, incense, colored pencil, acrylic on canvas.

36x40"

Burn 36" x 40" (part of the Mess Collection)

"…and just when you thought you burned the memory of her out of your mind, the sun will shine through the window and it’s warmth will dance on your skin and the memory of her touch will come rushing back; because all the fire and smoke in the Universe couldn’t erase the memory of the way her hands moved across your skin.

You cannot escape the haunting of her, no matter how hard you try."


The Mess Collection features a visual mapping of emotions, specifically the celebration of joy, surrender and peace that results from having endured the grieving process as depicted through abstract expressionism and florals.

Abstracted flower imagery along with the use of real pressed botanicals from the artist’s garden can be seen throughout this series as LaCaria explores the paradoxical symbolism behind flowers and how they’re exchanged at both time of celebration and mourning.

The floral elements draw parallels between the impermanence of seasons and life chapters, the ebb and flow of time and the ephemerality of emotions. The artist aims to evoke a nostalgia in the viewer by prompting the recollection of a memory in which flowers were present, for better or for worse.

LaCaria uses bold swatches of colour reminiscent of bouquets and garden beds along with heavy line work symbolic of the written words of eulogies, lost conversations and past self-talk. These expressive elements come together to communicate a visual mapping of the emotional cycles that accompany grief as one moves forward into a state of joy by paying respect to the past self that was left behind.

The resulting collection as a whole features compositions that embody a sense of ascension and levity as emotions appear to lighten and soften towards the upper parts of the canvas; or feature focal points of nothingness through the use of heavy negative space - an intentional commentary on the revelation that comes from the process of surrender, acceptance and the rebirth of the Self.

Flashe, acrylic, ink, spray paint on raw canvas.

36x40"

Good Start 36" x 40" (part of the Mess Collection)

"To blame the rain in a storm is as silly as banishing love because it accompanied the hurt.

She punished love because it walked in tandem with pain, not realizing that in doing so, she had wished a lifetime of numbness upon her worthy, yearning heart."


The Mess Collection features a visual mapping of emotions, specifically the celebration of joy, surrender and peace that results from having endured the grieving process as depicted through abstract expressionism and florals.

Abstracted flower imagery along with the use of real pressed botanicals from the artist’s garden can be seen throughout this series as LaCaria explores the paradoxical symbolism behind flowers and how they’re exchanged at both time of celebration and mourning.

The floral elements draw parallels between the impermanence of seasons and life chapters, the ebb and flow of time and the ephemerality of emotions. The artist aims to evoke a nostalgia in the viewer by prompting the recollection of a memory in which flowers were present, for better or for worse.

LaCaria uses bold swatches of colour reminiscent of bouquets and garden beds along with heavy line work symbolic of the written words of eulogies, lost conversations and past self-talk. These expressive elements come together to communicate a visual mapping of the emotional cycles that accompany grief as one moves forward into a state of joy by paying respect to the past self that was left behind.

The resulting collection as a whole features compositions that embody a sense of ascension and levity as emotions appear to lighten and soften towards the upper parts of the canvas; or feature focal points of nothingness through the use of heavy negative space - an intentional commentary on the revelation that comes from the process of surrender, acceptance and the rebirth of the Self.

Acrylic, ink, pressed leaves on raw canvas.

36x40"

Enouement 36" x 40" (part of the Mess Collection)

"She picked the flowers from the garden of her heart and shared them with everyone.

She picked the weeds and told them they were beautiful too, after all, what are weeds but flowers no one wants to love? She saw the magnificence in their prickly stems, their fluffy heads, their thick, velvety leaves. She admired their persistence, their resilience.

There is room for everything in the garden of her heart."



The Mess Collection features a visual mapping of emotions, specifically the celebration of joy, surrender and peace that results from having endured the grieving process as depicted through abstract expressionism and florals.

Abstracted flower imagery along with the use of real pressed botanicals from the artist’s garden can be seen throughout this series as LaCaria explores the paradoxical symbolism behind flowers and how they’re exchanged at both time of celebration and mourning.

The floral elements draw parallels between the impermanence of seasons and life chapters, the ebb and flow of time and the ephemerality of emotions. The artist aims to evoke a nostalgia in the viewer by prompting the recrecollection of a memory in which flowers were present, for better or for worse.

LaCaria uses bold swatches of colour reminiscent of bouquets and garden beds along with heavy line work symbolic of the written words of eulogies, lost conversations and past self-talk. These expressive elements come together to communicate a visual mapping of the emotional cycles that accompany grief as one moves forward into a state of joy by paying respect to the past self that was left behind.

The resulting collection as a whole features compositions that embody a sense of ascension and levity as emotions appear to lighten and soften towards the upper parts of the canvas; or feature focal points of nothingness through the use of heavy negative space - an intentional commentary on the revelation that comes from the process of surrender, acceptance and the rebirth of the Self.

Spray paint, acrylic, colored pencil on raw canvas.

36x40"

Dawn Chorus 36" x 40" (part of the Mess Collection)

"Even though the moon has witnessed all the pain and injustices that come with the night, she continues to shine her brightest in the darkest of times.

The dawn chorus reminds her it's time to rise again and again and again."


The Mess Collection features a visual mapping of emotions, specifically the celebration of joy, surrender and peace that results from having endured the grieving process as depicted through abstract expressionism and florals.

Abstracted flower imagery along with the use of real pressed botanicals from the artist’s garden can be seen throughout this series as LaCaria explores the paradoxical symbolism behind flowers and how they’re exchanged at both time of celebration and mourning.

The floral elements draw parallels between the impermanence of seasons and life chapters, the ebb and flow of time and the ephemerality of emotions. The artist aims to evoke a nostalgia in the viewer by prompting the recrecollection of a memory in which flowers were present, for better or for worse.

LaCaria uses bold swatches of colour reminiscent of bouquets and garden beds along with heavy line work symbolic of the written words of eulogies, lost conversations and past self-talk. These expressive elements come together to communicate a visual mapping of the emotional cycles that accompany grief as one moves forward into a state of joy by paying respect to the past self that was left behind.

The resulting collection as a whole features compositions that embody a sense of ascension and levity as emotions appear to lighten and soften towards the upper parts of the canvas; or feature focal points of nothingness through the use of heavy negative space - an intentional commentary on the revelation that comes from the process of surrender, acceptance and the rebirth of the Self.

Flashe, acrylic, spray paint on canvas.

48x30"

I don’t have any regrets. But I would never do us again.

*This painting was inspired by the song Smug Fuckface by Laura Jane Grace*

____
The Love Letters (To My Exes) collection is a cheeky exploration of “love” and dating from the artist’s perspective as a confident, intellectual woman in her mid-30s. The artist playfully reflects on past romantic encounters to examine which were ruled by the heart vs. the mind. The heart is the true centre of human intelligence, not the brain. The heart is all-knowing, in its intuitive ability to discern when to push or pull, expand or retract. The brain’s tendency to overthink and overanalyze is not a sign of intelligence, but an anxious attempt to intellectualize emotions in order to avoid actually feeling them.

This playful collection explores the themes of identity, attachment, moments of clarity and cathexis that are prevalent in the search for love. The artist aspires to be vulnerable in exposing the various ways she has celebrated or abandoned parts of herSelf in her past relationships and encounters, and the feelings of triumph, shame, growth and sadness that have been part of her journey in dating.

The short excerpts that inspired the works in this collection were taken from the artist’s personal journal and paintings were created with specific songs in mind.

Flashe, acrylic, pencil, poppy seeds on canvas.

46x58"

All talk. No walk.
All talk. No rock.
Words are beautiful, the way they come together to suggest the most wonderful sentiments. Barf. The way they can be persuasive, manipulative, weaponized.

Words are spoken, they are written, they are exchanged, they are shouted, they are whispered, they are safe, they are threatening. But they’re all just words. Keep them to yourself, they sound better in your own mind. Spare me.


*This painting was inspired by the song Cutthroat by Imagine Dragons*

____
The Love Letters (To My Exes) collection is a cheeky exploration of “love” and dating from the artist’s perspective as a confident, intellectual woman in her mid-30s. The artist playfully reflects on past romantic encounters to examine which were ruled by the heart vs. the mind. The heart is the true centre of human intelligence, not the brain. The heart is all-knowing, in its intuitive ability to discern when to push or pull, expand or retract. The brain’s tendency to overthink and overanalyze is not a sign of intelligence, but an anxious attempt to intellectualize emotions in order to avoid actually feeling them.

This playful collection explores the themes of identity, attachment, moments of clarity and cathexis that are prevalent in the search for love. The artist aspires to be vulnerable in exposing the various ways she has celebrated or abandoned parts of herSelf in her past relationships and encounters, and the feelings of triumph, shame, growth and sadness that have been part of her journey in dating.

The short excerpts that inspired the works in this collection were taken from the artist’s personal journal and paintings were created with specific songs in mind.

Watercolour, acrylic, ink on canvas.

40x50"

And the people who never really knew me said, “We like the new you!”
And the people who knew my heart long before it shattered said, “She’s back!”

I still don’t know if I‘ve changed or if I have finally come back home to myself. Maybe I’ll never know and maybe it doesn’t even matter. I'm here now.

*This painting was inspired by the song White Flag by Bishop Briggs*

____
The Love Letters (To My Exes) collection is a cheeky exploration of “love” and dating from the artist’s perspective as a confident, intellectual woman in her mid-30s. The artist playfully reflects on past romantic encounters to examine which were ruled by the heart vs. the mind. The heart is the true centre of human intelligence, not the brain. The heart is all-knowing, in its intuitive ability to discern when to push or pull, expand or retract. The brain’s tendency to overthink and overanalyze is not a sign of intelligence, but an anxious attempt to intellectualize emotions in order to avoid actually feeling them.

This playful collection explores the themes of identity, attachment, moments of clarity and cathexis that are prevalent in the search for love. The artist aspires to be vulnerable in exposing the various ways she has celebrated or abandoned parts of herSelf in her past relationships and encounters, and the feelings of triumph, shame, growth and sadness that have been part of her journey in dating.

The short excerpts that inspired the works in this collection were taken from the artist’s personal journal and paintings were created with specific songs in mind.

Acrylic, coloured pencil on canvas.

36x40"

I sing love songs to myself. They used to make me sad because I thought I was alone. But I’m not. I’m just by myself. I am with myself. On my own. I don’t know how I got from there to here, but now I sing all the love songs to myself. In the mirror. In the car. On a walk. In the grocery store. I hum along, I belt it out. And they can’t haunt me anymore. I have fallen in love with myself and it had nothing to do with anyone else. Now all those songs remind me of me. And no one else.

*This painting was inspired by the song Love It If We Made It by The 1975.*
___
The Love Letters (To My Exes) collection is a cheeky exploration of “love” and dating from the artist’s perspective as a confident, intellectual woman in her mid-30s. The artist playfully reflects on past romantic encounters to examine which were ruled by the heart vs. the mind. The heart is the true centre of human intelligence, not the brain. The heart is all-knowing, in its intuitive ability to discern when to push or pull, expand or retract. The brain’s tendency to overthink and overanalyze is not a sign of intelligence, but an anxious attempt to intellectualize emotions in order to avoid actually feeling them.

This playful collection explores the themes of identity, attachment, moments of clarity and cathexis that are prevalent in the search for love. The artist aspires to be vulnerable in exposing the various ways she has celebrated or abandoned parts of herSelf in her past relationships and encounters, and the feelings of triumph, shame, growth and sadness that have been part of her journey in dating.

The short excerpts that inspired the works in this collection were taken from the artist’s personal journal and paintings were created with specific songs in mind.

Acrylic, flashe, colored pencil on canvas.

54x54"

From left to right, and back again. Try, fail, succeed, repeat. Tedious and slow until momentum builds. The first weft is simply a line. The second weft is the beginning of a pattern. The third weft is a trend. Repeat repeat repeat. Persistence. The warp ties it all together. Skill.

The patience behind repetition can be the difference between a crazy-making or a meditative practice. Without the persistence, the skill is pointless. Without the warp, the weft is simply a bunch of lines going in circles.

___
The Hold collection is inspired by the concept of baskets - vessels that were designed to hold and carry items only of a certain size…not everything was meant to be carried. Grains of sand, water, soil, beads, pebbles, leaves, berries… still slip through the cracks. The baskets are meant to hold onto what truly matters, and release whatever doesn’t. The cracks are there to let whatever shouldn’t be contained slip away. The history of basket making has been lost - the basket couldn’t even hold onto its own story. This collection explores the paradox that exists in the moments of time when letting go is essential in order to be able to carry on with what matters. Not everything or everyone was meant to be kept.

Flashe, soap, acrylic, spray paint on raw canvas.

70x50"

That moment when you get everything you’ve wished for. When it all starts to happen. Moments that are imagined to have the impact of a loud clap of thunder or a huge reveal, but are actually many small experiences that come together all of a sudden. Silently, quietly. Brace for impact, get ready, it’s all happening now, it’s all happening for you.

____
The Hold collection is inspired by the concept of baskets - vessels that were designed to hold and carry items only of a certain size…not everything was meant to be carried. Grains of sand, water, soil, beads, pebbles, leaves, berries… still slip through the cracks. The baskets are meant to hold onto what truly matters, and release whatever doesn’t. The cracks are there to let whatever shouldn’t be contained slip away. The history of basket making has been lost - the basket couldn’t even hold onto its own story. This collection explores the paradox that exists in the moments of time when letting go is essential in order to be able to carry on with what matters. Not everything or everyone was meant to be kept.

Ink, acrylic, coloured pencil on canvas.

12x12"

Those long, lazy, hazy drives towards an adventure that is full of promise. The beginning of a journey, the start of a memory. The feet-on-the-dash part of the trip when everything is still shiny and golden.

______
Just because a story was told, does not mean it was heard.

The Pieces Of The Whole collection explores story-telling and how narratives about women are rewritten/edited/retold to benefit the listener, whoever that may be, for better or for worse. The idea that women are not always in control of the narratives of their own lives, or how their stories are shared with others, depending on context, is expressed through this collection using the unifying imagery of peaches.

This series began as studies of peaches for an upcoming collection entitled She’s A Sweet Peach (working title). As the artist’s work is performative in nature, these paintings were part of larger canvases that were later cropped and assembled with both intentional and unintentional approaches to editing - an exercise for the artist in detachment regarding the need to control the narrative. This physical re-assembling of canvases on smaller frames is an attempt to explore how many smaller stories can contribute to the “bigger picture”, and it can still be beautiful, even if there are parts missing.

Intriguing parts of certain paintings were left behind while other parts were included due to dimensional limitations of the frame. These limitations that were beyond the artist’s control reinforced the importance, as well as the potential harm, behind censorship.

Ink, acrylic, spray paint, poppy seeds on canvas.

16x36"

Don’t look her in the eyes unless you can handle her gaze.
You've seen eyes before, but not like hers.
They're black as night and see right through you.
They sparkle like glass and have seen more than yours have.

Her lips are curled at the corners, full and pouting, waiting to let you in on her secret.
If you couldn't handle the flames that came from the fire you started, you should've walked the other way.

_____
Just because a story was told, does not mean it was heard.

The Pieces Of The Whole collection explores story-telling and how narratives about women are rewritten/edited/retold to benefit the listener, whoever that may be, for better or for worse. The idea that women are not always in control of the narratives of their own lives, or how their stories are shared with others, depending on context, is expressed through this collection using the unifying imagery of peaches.

This series began as studies of peaches for an upcoming collection entitled She’s A Sweet Peach (working title). As the artist’s work is performative in nature, these paintings were part of larger canvases that were later cropped and assembled with both intentional and unintentional approaches to editing - an exercise for the artist in detachment regarding the need to control the narrative. This physical re-assembling of canvases on smaller frames is an attempt to explore how many smaller stories can contribute to the “bigger picture”, and it can still be beautiful, even if there are parts missing.

Intriguing parts of certain paintings were left behind while other parts were included due to dimensional limitations of the frame. These limitations that were beyond the artist’s control reinforced the importance, as well as the potential harm, behind censorship.

Acrylic, spray paint, watercolor pencil on canvas.

20x12"

She is deeply aware.
She is in touch with her emotions.
But she is no longer burdened by them.

____
Just because a story was told, does not mean it was heard.

The Pieces Of The Whole collection explores story-telling and how narratives about women are rewritten/edited/retold to benefit the listener, whoever that may be, for better or for worse. The idea that women are not always in control of the narratives of their own lives, or how their stories are shared with others, depending on context, is expressed through this collection using the unifying imagery of peaches.

This series began as studies of peaches for an upcoming collection entitled She’s A Sweet Peach (working title). As the artist’s work is performative in nature, these paintings were part of larger canvases that were later cropped and assembled with both intentional and unintentional approaches to editing - an exercise for the artist in detachment regarding the need to control the narrative. This physical re-assembling of canvases on smaller frames is an attempt to explore how many smaller stories can contribute to the “bigger picture”, and it can still be beautiful, even if there are parts missing.

Intriguing parts of certain paintings were left behind while other parts were included due to dimensional limitations of the frame. These limitations that were beyond the artist’s control reinforced the importance, as well as the potential harm, behind censorship.

Spray paint, acrylic, colored pencil on canvas.

20x20"

Eyes searching for the sun, neck craning towards the cracks in the curtain where the light is fighting to get through. The smallest sliver of sunlight brings her joy.

Leaf her alone, she’s busy blooming.

_________
Just because a story was told, does not mean it was heard.

The Pieces Of The Whole collection explores story-telling and how narratives about women are rewritten/edited/retold to benefit the listener, whoever that may be, for better or for worse. The idea that women are not always in control of the narratives of their own lives, or how their stories are shared with others, depending on context, is expressed through this collection using the unifying imagery of peaches.

This series began as studies of peaches for an upcoming collection entitled She’s A Sweet Peach (working title). As the artist’s work is performative in nature, these paintings were part of larger canvases that were later cropped and assembled with both intentional and unintentional approaches to editing - an exercise for the artist in detachment regarding the need to control the narrative. This physical re-assembling of canvases on smaller frames is an attempt to explore how many smaller stories can contribute to the “bigger picture”, and it can still be beautiful, even if there are parts missing.

Intriguing parts of certain paintings were left behind while other parts were included due to dimensional limitations of the frame. These limitations that were beyond the artist’s control reinforced the importance, as well as the potential harm, behind censorship.

Spray paint, acrylic, ink, colored pencil on canvas.

20x20"

Autumn turned to winter but winter turned into more winter, now she’s caught in the in between.
She longs for the sun’s warmth on her brow, sweet sunshine kisses on her cheeks.
Summer’s absence leaves her in the shadow of despair, but there is much beauty in the hope of her return.

______
Just because a story was told, does not mean it was heard.

The Pieces Of The Whole collection explores story-telling and how narratives about women are rewritten/edited/retold to benefit the listener, whoever that may be, for better or for worse. The idea that women are not always in control of the narratives of their own lives, or how their stories are shared with others, depending on context, is expressed through this collection using the unifying imagery of peaches.

This series began as studies of peaches for an upcoming collection entitled She’s A Sweet Peach (working title). As the artist’s work is performative in nature, these paintings were part of larger canvases that were later cropped and assembled with both intentional and unintentional approaches to editing - an exercise for the artist in detachment regarding the need to control the narrative. This physical re-assembling of canvases on smaller frames is an attempt to explore how many smaller stories can contribute to the “bigger picture”, and it can still be beautiful, even if there are parts missing.

Intriguing parts of certain paintings were left behind while other parts were included due to dimensional limitations of the frame. These limitations that were beyond the artist’s control reinforced the importance, as well as the potential harm, behind censorship.

Ink, acrylic, pastel, coloured pencil on canvas.

54x32"

She stopped hiding the soft parts of HerSelf.
The tenderness, the tears, the giggles, the hope.
The rolls, the curves, the folds, the creases.
The soft parts of her feel safe now; she realized they have always been the parts she loved the most.

____
Just because a story was told, does not mean it was heard.

The Pieces Of The Whole collection explores story-telling and how narratives about women are rewritten/edited/retold to benefit the listener, whoever that may be, for better or for worse. The idea that women are not always in control of the narratives of their own lives, or how their stories are shared with others, depending on context, is expressed through this collection using the unifying imagery of peaches.

This series began as studies of peaches for an upcoming collection entitled She’s A Sweet Peach (working title). As the artist’s work is performative in nature, these paintings were part of larger canvases that were later cropped and assembled with both intentional and unintentional approaches to editing - an exercise for the artist in detachment regarding the need to control the narrative. This physical re-assembling of canvases on smaller frames is an attempt to explore how many smaller stories can contribute to the “bigger picture”, and it can still be beautiful, even if there are parts missing.

Intriguing parts of certain paintings were left behind while other parts were included due to dimensional limitations of the frame. These limitations that were beyond the artist’s control reinforced the importance, as well as the potential harm, behind censorship.