I started painting the year after I graduated high school. Initially I thought I started because my father bought me an easel, paintbrushes and a canvas for Christmas. Looking back, I can see why I actually picked up the paintbrush–to heal.
Most, if not all of my work, extends from a desire and choice to heal by noticing, embracing and releasing beauty in the world. I see my work not only as personal healing, but an opportunity to also serve unhealed communities.
"Monet in the Nude," Oil on wood, 2022.
Inspired by Matisse's Blue Nudes.
I wrestled through this piece. I initially thought I would feel at home with Matisse's style and color pallet, as we share an organic sort of feel and technique to our work, but learning the new medium of oil, I found myself struggling to stick to my initial inspiration of Matisse's "Woman with a hat."
After digging into Matisse's background and context of his work, I found a burst of energy to alter the subject matter of this composition and pull inspiration from his "Blue Nudes" instead. I learned Matisse rebelled against the constraints of his era's traditional techniques, and thus, inspired a new art movement called Fauvism. Critics of his era named Fauvist artists, "wild beasts" as it dramatically contrasted the art techniques used at that time. I am drawn to ideas and works of art that not only challenge the "normal" standard society deems worthy of celebrating, but also ideas and works of art demonstrating the ability to evoke intensely emotional reactions through radical visual form. The organic lines and simplistic feel of "Blue Nudes" represented how I was choosing to live. It's the artwork that held a deep and personal message and one that inspired this oil piece.
Meet "Monet in the Nude" a woman inspired to live authentically transparent and deep. A woman inspired to create beauty even through the pain that comes with the human experience. A woman working toward a world full of movement, life, beauty, healing and rebellion :]