Statement:

I love to use my art to touch upon important and controversial topics that are prevalent in current times. I allow space for my audience to interpret my work on their own and recognize it in a way that I never would have thought when creating it. For this body of work, I decided that I would shift my focus to women. Being a woman, I can relate very closely to all the pieces I have produced. In many of my past works, I usually do not relate directly with the subject, which is why this body of work is so important to me.

In this body of work, I touch on the many negative misconceptions that women are faced with and the strengths they possess to be the powerful people they are. I was very inspired by Maria Izquierdo, a Mexican artist known for her surreal paintings, whose main subject was women. She was able to create portraits of women that caused you to look away from them, instead of being attracted or lustful. In her painting Woman With Mirror, 1934, she portrays a woman from behind as she gazes into a mirror that reflects back on the audience. Instead of the audience viewing the reflection of the woman’s face, it is blank, representing the reflection of the audience. By doing this, she can address the male viewers' own vanity as he watches the nude woman as the woman watches him through the mirror. This was a very powerful message to send as an artist of that time, and the message is still prevalent today. Women are constantly portrayed as objects of lust, and just like Maria Izquierdo, I would love to change the way people view women even now in current times.  Most women can say that they have been victims of being cat-called by men and I am sure most can agree that it can feel very degrading and shameful. Many people praise women for their bodies, however when women use their bodies for their own pleasure they are looked down upon.

My work has also been inspired by the Greek mythology story of Medusa. I always perceived Medusa to be an ugly, evil creature, not realizing that she was cursed into being a monster. The reason she was cursed was because she broke her vow of celibacy. Reflecting on this story, this is something that still affects all women today. If a man goes out and has sex with multiple women, he will be praised for it. Meanwhile, if a woman does the same, she will be put down and be shamed for it. If a woman has sex with multiple men, she is no longer desirable and is viewed as “contaminated.”  With my work, I would like to change this way of thinking. Women should be able to pleasure themselves and be empowered by it.

Although I do find myself touching upon many negative thoughts through my art, I would want this body of art to also show how magnificent women are and show the bright side of things. Not only do women put up with a lot of criticism, but they do so while still being amazing beings and bringing life to this world. I would love for my work to bring light to the extraordinary things women are capable of with their bodies and the strength they carry within their souls. Women are capable of creating life and being a source of nourishment. From this life, we create a continuous cycle; create, nourish, grow, and create once again. Mother nature is a woman for a reason, and it is because only a woman can continuously create life and beauty. This body of work brings together women and nature, expressed in many ways. A woman’s body is the most amazing flowerpot, and although it is not appreciated as such, I hope to be able to communicate to my audience that women must always be uplifted and supported no matter what they look like or what they may be perceived to be.

I want people to view my work and learn to appreciate the vastness of what it is to be a woman.  I want to show how women can be extremely delicate yet still as strong as steel. My work is meant to spark conversations and educate others on the difficulties of being a woman while remaining these amazing warriors.