My Definition of Beauty Has Changed (Yamuna)
Mixed media installation, 11’x5′, 2021.
“My Definition of Beauty Has Changed (Yamuna) is a portrait installation. It is a collection of drawn and painted portraits of Yamuna taken from stills from a video interview where she shares parts of herself and her story. The installation also includes a collection of objects that represent her values and parts of her shared story. Each portrait is paired with a QR code so viewers can listen to the audio of that moment in her story.
This piece is part of a body of work about the stories of New American women in Columbus.
Detail of Yamuna portrait
Detail of main portrait in the Yamuna installation: Oil on panel, 24″x32″, 2021.
Peace and Abundance (Kyle among the ficus)
Peace and Abundance (Kyle among the ficus): Oil on panel, 24″x32″, 2020.
In January of 2020 my husband, Kyle, was diagnosed with aggressive lymphoma. He underwent 6 months of chemo and treatment, thinking he was done with cancer. A few months later we were notified that his cancer had returned in his spine this time. A sobering reality of an unknown future sank in, and soon after he requested that I paint his portrait “just in case”. This portrait is both a documentation of him in this stage of life, but also a prayer. Ficus, the greenery that holds him and surrounds him in the piece, is a symbol of peace and abundance; both things we have experienced in this journey of cancer.
Jewels
Jewels: Acrylic on paper, 8″x10″, 2021
This piece is a portrait of Jewels, a survivor of sex-trafficking and graduate of the CATCH Court program. I had the privilege of painting the portraits of all the 2021 graduates and hearing their moving stories.
Afnan
Afnan: Oil on panel, 24″x36″, 2019
This painting is a double-sided panel with a blown-up black and white photo of Afnan’s Palestinian passport on one side, and an oil painting of her on the other. When this piece is displayed, it is free-standing so viewers can walk around the piece to view each side and listen to her talking about what has shaped her in her life. The goal of the piece is to create an opportunity for greater connection with someone who has typically been viewed only by her foreignness and her hijab.
This piece is a part of a larger body of work of four portrait installations similar to this, each of a Muslim woman born in a country other than America, who has experienced alienation because of their hijab and culture.
Portrait study #7
Portrait Study #7: Acrylic on paper, 8″x10″, 2021
This piece is a study, exploring the material of acrylic paint pens as well as creating skin tones using shape and non-local colors.
Delicate Black and White
Delicate Black and White: Acrylic and marker on panel, 24″x24″, 2021. $2100
This piece is an abstract painting that explores movement through line.
Lines on Lines
Lines on Lines: Acrylic on panel, 36″x24″, 2022. $2500
This abstract painting explores composition and balance through line and tone.
Fitting Together #2
Fitting Together #2: Acrylic on panel, 20″x20″, 2022. $1900
This abstract painting is part of a diptych that explores harmony and balance through minimal shapes and color.
02/16/2022