project. ::self-reflection::

description of this series: for as long as i can remember i was fascinated with artist self-portraits. three well known artists that stand out to me are m.c. escher, vincent van gogh, and my favorite, frida kahlo. the intimacy and vulnerability of their self-portraits have always made me feel like an invited guest into the many very private and sometimes very lonely moments of life — moments beyond words. despite my fascination i thought it would be impossible to draw/paint myself until i unintentionally did so trying to draw someone else many years ago.

at the time i wasn't confident calling myself an artist and this accidental self-portrait seemed to confirm that belief. (i don't recall exactly how long ago this was, just that the sketchbook that i have saved the piece in all these years has been around long enough for the pages to yellow.) in fact, after that experience i stopped trying to draw people, for a long time. i later named the piece «la mirada» based on the feeling that the piece was gazing into/or out of a part of me yet to be explored.

flash forward to brooklyn, new york in november 2020. after months of not having a place of my own to live in during some of the worst months of the covid-19 pandemic, i was finally was able to sublet an apartment in the prospect lefferts gardens area of brooklyn, ny. i was struggling to understand so much — but mostly to understand myself.

the combination of these feelings and living in a house full of artists inspired me to get back to my art. i pulled out an old set of acrylic paints i had never used and decided to try and intentional self portrait. the result was one of my favorite pieces in this exhibition, «el respiro». after not doing much art again for about a year, and still very much in the thick of the pandemic, i decided to dedicate at least 15 minutes to art daily. encouraged by «el respiro» i started to document the range of my thoughts, experiences, emotions, and functionality with self-portraits and self-reflective pieces that range from doodles to completed pieces ready for in person exhibition. this digital exhibition includes pieces displayed onsite at fuego coffee roasters in rochester, ny (all for sale) for my ::self-reflection:: exhibition.

below are completed works, works in progress, and doodles.

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