The Self Portrait Series features three studio art projects that explore identity, expression, self-confidence.
Each piece is a reflection of multi-faceted complexities of my personhood and my unique point of view. Delving deeper into the themes of personal growth, femininity, and confidence, this series is a celebration of being both a masterpiece and a work in progress.
Reflections in Time (2022), ink on paper
When I see my reflection in the mirror, I can’t help but recognize the multitude of versions of myself that I’ve outgrown. The joyful and carefree child, the quiet and curious little girl, the naive and insecure teenager, the guarded and at-times stubborn young adult — they’re all still an integral part of my inner most self. Those are the girls who have made a way for me to become the person I am now. Camouflaged in the tufts of fur are numbers arranged in the formation of a clock face, meant to symbolize the passage of time. Throughout my life, I’ve had so many different dreams and aspirations, many of which I have still yet to achieve. However, I’ve come to realize that it’s not about where I’m at, but more so about who I’ve become. I’ve never been more at peace than with the girl who looks back at me in the mirror, and I have the greatest confidence in the woman I am becoming.
Pieces of Me (2022), mixed media assemblage
Femininity at its core is full of contradictions, especially by societal standards: the pressure to be glamorous, but not too much to be seen as trying too hard; the desire to be fierce and edgy, but not too much to be seen as selfish or insensitive; the expectations to be confident and strong, but not too much to be seen as mean or conceited, and the list goes on.
I witnessed from a very young age the allure of being a woman… skimming through pages of fashion magazines, going shopping with my mom and older sister, watching hair and makeup tutorials with my friends. Though I can look back at these moments fondly, I acknowledge that it were those very experiences that exposed me to the contradictory standards of beauty. These juxtapositions are often seen with a negative connotation, but I’ve learned to embrace such paradoxes in my femininity. I am confident, yet I’ve accepted that I am oftentimes still quite reserved. I am strong, yet I give myself the grace to be sensitive. I am fierce, yet I still strive to be kind. I am glamorous, yet I recognized the wholeness in my beauty as I am.
Just as the sharpness of mirrors and broken glass foundation bottles are contrasting to the soft textures of makeup sponges and beauty blenders, so are the very different elements that create the composition of my personality, my femininity, and my personhood.
My Own Muse (2023), acrylic on canvas
Inspired by Frida Kahlo, who once said, “I am my own muse. I am the subject I know best, the subject I want to know better.”