I'm pleased to share that my 2016 painting, America: She Was Asking For It, was included in an important new book, Not Normal: Art in the Age of Trump. I am one of 147 artists responding to socio-political issues in the age of Trump. While the content is serious, flipping through the pages is cathartic. This powerful collection of 350+ artworks was curated by Karen M. Gutfreund, Independent Curator. Copies of "Not Normal" are available to purchase here. America: She Was Asking For It was born in a nightmare I had on the night of the 2016 presidential election. It depicts a revealing portrait of not only America’s elected Head of State but also his wife and Vice President and Mrs. Pence.
A variety of symbols evoke both an immediate visceral reaction, such as the confederate flag, as well as an ongoing discovery of depravity represented as small painted details, such as the pins, that reveal contradictions and hypocrisy. I utilized the bright coloring effects of gouache to capture the flashy tone of media imagery and intentionally made the work small to emphasize the insufficient attention and transitory coverage given to these issues by the media.
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Identity Spectrum |
Persistence
May 31 -July 15
Museum of Northern California Art
900 Esplanade
Chico, California
Museum Hours:
Thurs-Sunday: 11:00am - 5:00pm
To Be Heard
at the
Old Courthouse Art Center
America: She Was Asking For It will be shown in Woodstock, Illinois at the Old Courthouse Arts Center, as part of what the organizers describe as "[an] exhibition [that] focuses on controversial artwork and the power artists have to highlight issues and social causes. This exhibition is an exercise in freedom of speech. The artwork in this exhibition takes a strong moral stance that either depicts intensely personal experiences or reflects and comments on society at large. Some of the work in this exhibition has been censored, or, by nature of the subject matter would be considered illegal in some countries. Art has the power to evoke strong opinions and challenge the viewer to think about a social issues in a new way. We hope you'll join us to engage in different perspectives on hot-topic social issues opening night!"
To Be Heard
June 2 - 30
Old Courthouse Arts Center
101 N. Johnson Street
Woodstock, Illinois
Gallery Hours:
Thursday: 11:00am - 5:00pm
Friday–Saturday: 11:00am - 7:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am - 5:00pm
Monday–Wednesday: gallery is closed
Last year, I specially made time over the summer to explore new themes in my portraiture. One hot June evening, I glanced at myself in the mirror and something about the lighting, angle, and mood created an intense inspiration to paint a large self portrait related to my experience as a female. So began my two month journey creating Reduction (Self Portrait).
As I began work on my portrait, I had two goals in mind:
- Create a work representative of my experience as a woman and artist.
- Create a portrait I felt was worthy of submitting to the BP Portrait Award.
I documented the work on the day of the eclipse, August 21, 2017, only it was overcast so there was nothing to see in the sky. However, the overcast conditions made for excellent lighting to document my painting. A short while after photographing the work, I applied to the 2018 BP Portrait Award, but I didn't tell anyone I had applied because it's such prestigious competition, literally the show for the best contemporary portraits in the world, run by the UK's National Portrait Gallery.
- Frame my portrait
- Acquire a shipping crate made of the right kind of wood (or else bad things happen)
- Arrange to somehow get my BIG painting to the U.K., through customs and delivered within a 5 day window (or else I'm just straight up eliminated)
- and figure out the insanely complicated, ill instructed, bureaucratic paperwork required for temporarily exporting/importing artwork
My mornings usually start as a time of reflection, relaxation and happiness with my cats, my breakfast, and my partner. But the morning of November 9th was different. Nightmares plagued my sleep on the night of the 2016 presidential election. I awoke stunned and I felt sick. I felt personally assaulted by the results, and as though there was nothing I could do about it. The image from my nightmares, fueled by the headlines, stuck with me and I knew I had to paint.
Artists have a unique way of expressing the essence of what is really going on, and at times like this, it's important for us to use that voice. I'm honored to have my work included in the NASTY WOMEN art exhibition in NYC this January. This is a group exhibition that serves to demonstrate solidarity among artists who identify with being a Nasty Woman in the face of threats to roll back women’s rights, individual rights, and abortion rights. It also serves as a fundraiser to support organizations defending these rights and to be a platform for organization before the Trump Presidential Inauguration in January.
100% of sales go to Planned Parenthood. Supporting the cause of women's health and rights is of course a great outcome for this show - we are not just sending a message but we are also doing something concrete and positive.
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