Title: "Nothing to Hide" Exhibition Dates: April 30-May 3, 2024 Artist Statement: Our bodies are mediums through which we experience the world. The importance of one’s body is undeniable, as is one’s relationship to it. My relationship to my body is not always positive and neither is that of many other women. Through my depictions of nude female bodies, I attempt to communicate the complexity of body relationships and the connection to self-esteem. Vulnerability, intimacy, beauty, and authenticity are ideas that I address. I aim to be authentic in both physical rendering and self-perception. I highlight rather than hide away what is deemed ‘ugly’ or ‘imperfect.’ By creating honest, figurative, and feminine imagery, I aim to create a space for women to relate, reflect, and uplift their perceptions of their bodies and to combat the standards that society inflicts. Constant exposure to unrealistic body expectations coupled with hurtful language used around bodies creates an emotional response in me and others. Using vibrant color palettes situates the bodies in these emotional spaces, creates a nature of inclusivity, and adds aesthetic interest. In terms of mediums, glass offers a degree of fragility and varying levels of opacity. These, among others, are qualities that I manipulate to speak to body visibility and the effects that words and perceptions can have on one’s self-image. Painting as a medium has an ease to it that allows me to create imagery in a sensitive, layered, and fluid way that is central to my practice. Whether through glass, painting, or other mediums, I employ a sensitive and thoughtful touch to honor the vulnerability expressed by the women that I depict.