In my current work, I create fantastical characters rooted in familiar ideas of femininity. To create these characters, I combine subconscious imagery with external references that include familiar archetypes from folklore and history, storybook illustration, Renaissance portraiture and decorative elements of historical dress. The image offers moments of recognition, but remains mysterious. This allows for varied and individualized readings of the work based on each viewer’s personal experiences and imagination.
Mythical female archetypes exist in many visual, cultural and narrative interpretations. Our past experiences with representations of figures like the witch, the fair maiden, the queen and the lady in waiting affect how we encounter these characters in the future. I am interested in the unlimited images and narratives created when versions of these figures intersect, and the mythical and historical overlap, as well as the role the viewer plays in identifying each character.
My characters are made of hand painted lace patterns that mimic decorative elements and structural forms of historical female dress. The lace is intricately detailed and painted in soft pastel shades to represent both my attraction to ornamentation and conventions of feminine beauty. There is conflict, however, between the lacy frills and the inhuman nature of the characters themselves. This contrast illustrates my internal dialogue about the traditional display of woman as mere decorative object. My characters exist only as decoration to communicate this idea. Their bodies are nothing but lace, and their faces and hands are more creature than human. They are monsters of decoration. The final image is both beautiful and grotesque to reflect my opposing feelings.