theory & practice

My painting practice delves into the intricate and multifaceted nature of memory, creating a visual narrative that allows me to document my relationship with my body, femininity and Catholic dogma. Through my work I depict the translation of memory into imagery, with a specific focus on representing conflicting contextual relationships between objects. My process begins with a digital collage created from original and found images and photographs, which serve as a reference for my painted work. I focus on the composition of objects, thoughtfully considering how an object's association and position change the perception of it and the surrounding objects. I consider both the divinity of an object within its religious context, as well as experiences or memories that hold sanctity for me when developing my composition. In my painting process, I paint each object as its own, varying the degree of naturalism from semi-photorealism to painterly illustration. Painting is a ritual in itself, connecting me to my body and the physical world around me. Together the many objects build a complete unit of information, becoming a personal translation of memory into imagery. 

Through my body of work I question notions of divinity, specifically relating to femininity and womanhood.  My work is informed by my experiences as a woman in post Roe v. Wade America: a society where the female body is both objectified and dominated by ideology and legislation. Having grown up in the Catholic church, I am familiar with Christian iconography and expectations of divinity both within material objects and within ‘divine womanhood’. Catholic theology contextualizes holiness through overt materiality, particularly in the idea that physical material, such as gold or silver, dictates the divinity of an object.  I am fascinated by the value of ritual objects, and how objects, such as chalices, represent and facilitate a direct connection to god. The materiality of ritual objects influences the degree of godliness ascribed to them, and through this same lens I explore how expectations of femininity manifest in physical objects, what objects feed femininity, and what objects hold power within feminine expectations. 

My work allows me to digest the life I live within a female body, and how the physicality of this body has ultimately shaped my experiences and understanding of autonomy, love and grief. The juxtaposition between meat, gems, Catholic ritual objects, edible items, cakes, toys, trinkets, icons, insects and skin creates a space where contexts conflict, where materiality and true context of an object is questioned. My work creates a space where notions of femininity and divinity are at once applied and removed from objects, challenging the way in which we experience them and illuminating unexpected relationships between womanhood and the physical world.