The artist: In my practice, I delve into the complexities of my genetic womanhood, exploring the deep connections I share with the women in my life—both living and deceased. Through this exploration, I reflect on how these relationships shape my identity, navigating the profound impact they have on me. I express these themes through the creation of still-life oil paintings, using carefully selected objects that carry personal meaning and evoke a sense of déjà vu. Often, I experience vivid dreams involving my female relatives, both past and present, which I translate into surreal and highly detailed oil paintings of found and inherited objects. These works serve as a bridge between the tangible and the intangible, capturing the ethereal nature of memory, connection, and the passage of time encouragement to achieve this.
Bitten Sweetness captures the essence of my enduring sweet tooth, infused with a warm sense of nostalgia. These chocolate-covered apples, often appearing around Halloween, evoke memories of childhood and seasonal rituals.The single, crisp bite taken from the apple becomes the painting’s focal point—personifying the image and subtly modernizing the language of traditional still life. Compared to my other works, this painting feels particularly alive. The apple, a symbol of life and fertility, paired with the indulgent coating of chocolate—a fleeting but deeply satisfying pleasure—serves as a reminder that amidst complexity, life offers moments of simple, undeniable sweetness.