I'm drawn to vintage images of women — diving, surfing, laughing with their arms around each other. There's something in these photographs that feels both of their time and completely current: women who were bold in ways their era didn't always make room for, caught in moments of trust, risk, and pure joy. A woman diving into the unknown isn't performing for anyone. She's already decided. That kind of fearlessness, and the friendships that hold it up, are what I want viewer to see.
I also think about who walks into the gallery. Every woman should be able to find herself somewhere in this room — a moment of courage that looks like her own. Underneath the paint in each of these pieces is a buried layer of text: a lyric, a phrase, a private note. You won't see it, but it's there, the way so much of what makes a woman fearless isn't visible either.
"Lean On Me" - Bill Withers. Partial song lyrics can be found within the art.
Mixed media
Measures 20" x 20"