BEYOND LABELS
Artist Statement
“Where are you from?”
“Do you have a green card?”
“Are you a real artist?”
A day in my shoes.
We, as humans, have been making assumptions and prejudging each other as a means to better understand one another since the beginning of time. After being constantly mislabeled as a foreigner because of my accent, and frivolous because of my profession, I began to question how the labels and judgments others place upon us influence our identities.
Over the years I have come to realize that the labels we assign each other have power to either divide or connect us. Recently, I began to wonder about others’ experiences with mislabeling, and decided to ask both friends and strangers in my community to consider being interviewed and photographed for a painting. They were each asked to bring an item or embody a persona which illustrated how they see themselves. During these interviews, we explored issues of identity and connection through in-depth conversation about the significant labels that have affected their lives.
These pastel portraits aim to illustrate the meaningful selectivity we use in deciding which of our layers we peel back to show the world and which we keep concealed. As always, color is a technique, a tool, and a language I use to emphasize an overall feeling.
Although greatly diverse - like the portrait subjects themselves - these paintings are unified by their manipulated shapes, gradation, and textures that evoke empathy and curiosity. My hope is to inspire an appreciation in our community for what makes each of us unique so we can learn to look beyond labels and truly see one another.
“Where are you from?”
“Do you have a green card?”
“Are you a real artist?”
A day in my shoes.
We, as humans, have been making assumptions and prejudging each other as a means to better understand one another since the beginning of time. After being constantly mislabeled as a foreigner because of my accent, and frivolous because of my profession, I began to question how the labels and judgments others place upon us influence our identities.
Over the years I have come to realize that the labels we assign each other have power to either divide or connect us. Recently, I began to wonder about others’ experiences with mislabeling, and decided to ask both friends and strangers in my community to consider being interviewed and photographed for a painting. They were each asked to bring an item or embody a persona which illustrated how they see themselves. During these interviews, we explored issues of identity and connection through in-depth conversation about the significant labels that have affected their lives.
These pastel portraits aim to illustrate the meaningful selectivity we use in deciding which of our layers we peel back to show the world and which we keep concealed. As always, color is a technique, a tool, and a language I use to emphasize an overall feeling.
Although greatly diverse - like the portrait subjects themselves - these paintings are unified by their manipulated shapes, gradation, and textures that evoke empathy and curiosity. My hope is to inspire an appreciation in our community for what makes each of us unique so we can learn to look beyond labels and truly see one another.
"Jesal"
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Jess"
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2024
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2024
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
|
|
"Shandy"
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Taylor"
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Kierra"
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Jon Jon"
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2020
The Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas Collection
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2020
The Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas Collection
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Ellis"
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2020
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2020
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Mario"
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Nora"
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2020
Private Collection
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2020
Private Collection
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Dorothy"
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2020
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2020
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Chris"
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2020
Private Collection
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2020
Private Collection
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Nancy"
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2024
Private Collection
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2024
Private Collection
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Candace"
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Veronica"
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Shelley"
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Kendle"
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2020
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2020
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Meikel"
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2020
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2020
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Ogugua"
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2020
Private Collection
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2020
Private Collection
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"John"
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2020
Private Collection
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2020
Private Collection
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Gigi"
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5"x 30" - 2020
Fort Smith Regional Art Museum Collection
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5"x 30" - 2020
Fort Smith Regional Art Museum Collection
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Janet"
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2020
Private Collection
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2020
Private Collection
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Virmarie"
Pastel on Canson Paper
19" x 25" - 2020
Fort Smith Regional Art Museum Collection
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Canson Paper
19" x 25" - 2020
Fort Smith Regional Art Museum Collection
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Constance"
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Ali and Dana"
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2020
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2020
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Samantha"
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2020
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2020
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Ed"
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
22.5" x 30" - 2023
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"Harper"
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2020
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2020
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
"The Quiet One"
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2020
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
Pastel on Arches Paper
30" x 22.5" - 2020
Click on the image to read the story behind this painting
MÁS ALLÁ DE LAS ETIQUETAS
Declaración del artista
"¿De dónde eres?"
"¿Tienes tu tarjeta de residencia?"
"¿Eres una verdadera artista?"
Un día en mis zapatos.
Nosotros, como humanos, hemos estado haciendo suposiciones y prejuzgándonos mutuamente como un medio para entendernos mejor, desde el principio de los tiempos. Después de ser constantemente etiquetada como extranjera por mi acento y frívola por mi profesión, comencé a preguntarme cómo las etiquetas y los juicios que otros nos imponen influyen en nuestras identidades.
Con los años me he dado cuenta de que las etiquetas que nos asignamos tienen el poder de dividirnos o unirnos. Recientemente, comencé a preguntarme sobre las experiencias que otros han tenido al ser etiquetados incorrectamente, y decidí pedirles a amigos y extraños en mi comunidad que consideraran ser entrevistados y fotografiados para una pintura. Se le pidió a cada uno que trajeran un artículo o que representaran una persona que ilustrara cómo se veían a sí mismos. Durante estas entrevistas, exploramos cuestiones de identidad y conexión a través de conversaciones profundas sobre las etiquetas importantes que han afectado sus vidas.
Estos retratos en colores pastel tienen como objetivo ilustrar la selectividad significativa que usamos para decidir cuál de nuestras capas retiramos para mostrar al mundo y cuál mantenemos oculta. Como siempre, el color es una técnica, una herramienta y un lenguaje que uso para enfatizar un sentimiento general.
Aunque son muy diversas, como los sujetos de estos retratos, estas pinturas están unificadas por sus formas manipuladas, gradación y texturas que evocan empatía y curiosidad. Mi esperanza es inspirar un aprecio en nuestra comunidad por lo que nos hace únicos para que podamos aprender a mirar más allá de las etiquetas y realmente vernos el uno al otro.
MÁS ALLÁ DE LAS ETIQUETAS
Declaración del artista
"¿De dónde eres?"
"¿Tienes tu tarjeta de residencia?"
"¿Eres una verdadera artista?"
Un día en mis zapatos.
Nosotros, como humanos, hemos estado haciendo suposiciones y prejuzgándonos mutuamente como un medio para entendernos mejor, desde el principio de los tiempos. Después de ser constantemente etiquetada como extranjera por mi acento y frívola por mi profesión, comencé a preguntarme cómo las etiquetas y los juicios que otros nos imponen influyen en nuestras identidades.
Con los años me he dado cuenta de que las etiquetas que nos asignamos tienen el poder de dividirnos o unirnos. Recientemente, comencé a preguntarme sobre las experiencias que otros han tenido al ser etiquetados incorrectamente, y decidí pedirles a amigos y extraños en mi comunidad que consideraran ser entrevistados y fotografiados para una pintura. Se le pidió a cada uno que trajeran un artículo o que representaran una persona que ilustrara cómo se veían a sí mismos. Durante estas entrevistas, exploramos cuestiones de identidad y conexión a través de conversaciones profundas sobre las etiquetas importantes que han afectado sus vidas.
Estos retratos en colores pastel tienen como objetivo ilustrar la selectividad significativa que usamos para decidir cuál de nuestras capas retiramos para mostrar al mundo y cuál mantenemos oculta. Como siempre, el color es una técnica, una herramienta y un lenguaje que uso para enfatizar un sentimiento general.
Aunque son muy diversas, como los sujetos de estos retratos, estas pinturas están unificadas por sus formas manipuladas, gradación y texturas que evocan empatía y curiosidad. Mi esperanza es inspirar un aprecio en nuestra comunidad por lo que nos hace únicos para que podamos aprender a mirar más allá de las etiquetas y realmente vernos el uno al otro.