Artist Statement

My body of work deals heavily with social others, specifically those othered for their gender identity or expression. I depict my subjects with horns, unusual amounts of limbs or eyes, or with other mutations. By turning the subjects of my work into literal monsters I acknowledge the treatment they receive in society. However the way I depict them questions their status as true monsters. I use bright, inviting colors, soft forms, and a cartoon like style to reveal a pleasant and welcoming side to my subjects. This raises the question of ‘why are they truly monsters?’ is it really for things as non-offensive as the combination of feminine presentation and body or facial hair or the combination of masculine presentation and makeup or breasts? I force my audience to reconsider what they deem monstrous by presenting them with my humane depictions of usually slandered social monsters.