Fine Art

A Woman’s Still Life

2020
Oil Painting
16” x 20”

The title, Dendrite, refers to the extensions of nerve cells through which impulses are transmitted along the body. I created a mixture of rubber cement and red oil paint which, when stretched, formed tendrils that emulated these cells. Unlike in the human body, these dendrites were purposefully separated on an expanse of tinfoil; this dysfunctional movement represents a yearning for connection. Using beads, nails, glass, and broken parts of safety pins, I aimed to construct a rugged texture to show turmoil. This surface, paired with the spongey rubber cement paste, made the entire piece fragile, mimicking personal feelings and pride. I wanted the bonds within this piece to go beyond its physical structure and show the connection between human emotions and the systems that make us human.

Omnipresence

2020
Oil Painting
16” x 20”

Obstruction

2019
23” x 19”

My original plan to work with oil pastels evolved into experimentation with how much I could alter the medium's form. By melting oil pastels onto glass, scraping that product off, and again melting those scraps of pastel onto a hardboard, I was able to play with texture and observe how oil pastels react to fire. Smaller scraps would melt into perfect spheres, while larger fragments would shrivel up into elongated shapes. I used nails, metal earrings backs, and safety pins to further illustrate the experimental construction of this piece, and scratched up the frame to give it a worn look. Working from impulses rather than a sketched plan gave me the artistic freedom through which the board became an arena where I documented my process.