Shirt (in blue), Dressed Series Painting

Ink, watercolor, acrylic, and Japanese paper collage on paper, mounted on cradled wood panel, covered in resin. Ready to hang, no framing needed. From my "Dressed Series" : This collection of expressionistic portraits explores gender identity and a confrontational approach to traditional gender role expectations. The loose and washy faces are juxtaposed with stark, orderly clothing that seem to constrain the wearer much like societal and cultural expectations constrain the individual. Some of the portraits are purposefully androgynous, calling attention to our innate obsession to categorize the people we come across into ‘he’ and ‘she’ and attach our own personal definitions of who ‘he’ or ‘she’ is. The collars, buttons, and ties collaged from handmade and Asian papers, hold the subject in and confine them to play the roles expected of them; however their facial expressions hint at an underlying rebellion.