The application of paint can reflect and represent allusions to the human body and especially the skin in painting. The surface of the painting can act as a representation of the skin of ideas -- as a reflection of change and flux that also can happen on the skin of the body. Paint dries in skins or films that can mimic the shimmering view of the skin through light upon the translucent glazes of color, or through thick, chunky textures that sit on the painted surface. The skin is the threshold between the inner and outer self, and as Steven Conner writes, the skin is “proof of our exposure to visibility itself.” In my works, one painted surface is erased by the next, eclipsing or destroying the previous attempt to capture this glimmering surface all in an effort to transcribe the lush vision of the “body” of a painting. The rebirth of a painting emerging from the pentimento of erased and repainted layers can also reflect a continual process of assessment and reassessment of one’s identity and life, and the uncertainty regarding a changing body and identity. Currently my works have undergone a drastic change from being traditionally formatted, rectilinear paintings, to paintings that are cut into, shredded, torn, sewn, and nailed back together. I incorporate elements such as screws, nails, staples, and even hair. It is an attempt to move the thought of what a painting is supposed to be to a new place, which can be as challenging and complex as the bodies changing form through voluntary surgical force. As a transgender woman, my works are deeply tied to my blossoming identity, my thoughts about the gender spectrum and gender identity, and in particular, the body in a constant state of flux, and the feelings that occur when one makes the ultimate decision to transgress these rigid boundaries. Join the Facebook Event. Categories All Student Profile