"I started looking in the mirror and only seeing a white person." Painting

Inspired by mixed-race identity and belonging. “I started looking in the mirror and only seeing a white person.” 36 x 24 in Acrylic and stain on wood panel ”I started looking in the mirror and only seeing a white person.” is painted using acrylic and stain on wood panel. It is a medium-sized painting on an artist’s high quality basswood panel. The painting is made layer by layer through masking. As a result of this process, each painted element is levitated from the surface of the wood. Combining the polished edges with the expressive mark making within each object creates a vibrant contrast and feeling of balance. _________________________ This piece was created for my solo exhibition Halo-Halo: The Mixed Children. Halo-Halo is a cold Filipino dessert that translates to mix-mix and is a cute way to refer to mixed-blood Filipinos. This show is based on thoughts and phrases that have stuck with me while reflecting on my cultural identity. Growing up as a mixed person in Montana, I’ve constantly struggled with my sense of belonging. This struggle has existed on both sides of my cultural identity. I’ve struggled to feel belonging both in the dominant culture in Montana, as well as within the Filipino community. In this new series, I am exploring the visual language of what it is to be multicultural. I am exploring the lore of a mixed person, who I like to refer to as a shapeshifter. Sometimes we can influence how others perceive us—which is often through code-switching. But mostly, we cannot control how others interpret us. I challenge myself and the viewer to examine how we view the hands. What are the relationships with other hands, and how do they present in their environments?

Painting:Acrylic on Wood

Original:One-of-a-kind Artwork

Size:24 W x 36 H x 1.5 D in

Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.