Desired or Despised
![Sweet Escape](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c8095e0e7feef5b01fcaf0b82860b17e/c89dd79f-02f6-43e4-a64c-469716ade2a5_rw_3840.jpg?h=536d30440a94244099408512286831a3)
Sweet Escape
![What the Water Gave me](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c8095e0e7feef5b01fcaf0b82860b17e/41203879-30ac-4183-842d-1373b1ca0669_rw_3840.jpg?h=63bf992f999358ef8d670da5ba1e7a89)
What the Water Gave me
![I Am No Longer Afraid to Die](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c8095e0e7feef5b01fcaf0b82860b17e/b00e363b-131c-4019-97dd-7e115c6aefe7_rw_3840.jpg?h=775eb4d5c7fd9b8e37212795b606da38)
I Am No Longer Afraid to Die
![Venus](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c8095e0e7feef5b01fcaf0b82860b17e/604e3782-bfd8-4a0a-b3ad-0373d0f348b4_rw_3840.jpg?h=a2cd9be2915ed68086e7ed246dea69ed)
Venus
![Sanguine](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c8095e0e7feef5b01fcaf0b82860b17e/ec7e4212-a5ce-4620-a98b-ef0a61523a53_rw_3840.jpg?h=d9524edeae89b26db734826ae201ea05)
Sanguine
![Come as You Are](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c8095e0e7feef5b01fcaf0b82860b17e/4b026304-13a6-4485-a406-c23c352fbaae_rw_3840.jpg?h=fca68b6103cd910233c42b1b662117c1)
Come as You Are
![Anonymous (Woman)](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c8095e0e7feef5b01fcaf0b82860b17e/d7c41ea3-a5bb-4cce-b793-53d1c8629c53_rw_3840.jpg?h=705e45928b1517f7c479d8468a471a43)
Anonymous (Woman)
![You Asked for This](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c8095e0e7feef5b01fcaf0b82860b17e/4e7bb3dd-f14c-4c61-86d1-20a1e05f5943_rw_3840.jpg?h=36c2aa00611d22ccc69f6fb8d12dac63)
You Asked for This
![Citoris](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c8095e0e7feef5b01fcaf0b82860b17e/c35655c6-2d99-4bf4-8053-1a386899fdae_rw_3840.jpg?h=dafac5a7abaadff55dc39a0b5d27c694)
Citoris
![Self-Titled](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c8095e0e7feef5b01fcaf0b82860b17e/44e70c21-d1f0-41a1-8c17-ea555a90dde0_rw_3840.jpg?h=73332ea2345be3b9dc350913084383b4)
Self-Titled
![Aphrodisiac](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c8095e0e7feef5b01fcaf0b82860b17e/f00ed67f-f9d6-4c1c-96f0-97a1f4d47532_rw_3840.jpg?h=696a522a9e3eb1af79581e6e78299c25)
Aphrodisiac
![Body of War](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c8095e0e7feef5b01fcaf0b82860b17e/cd1efd8a-c882-4831-b3b7-2d3228b334ed_rw_3840.jpg?h=6b21a6998124755a129fbfb164d0d2af)
Body of War
![On the Line](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c8095e0e7feef5b01fcaf0b82860b17e/9f8df6c3-4b27-4709-b34f-e6c6cecf34be_rw_3840.jpg?h=88d2c5155b6b0946d47ad96012663b5b)
On the Line
![Sausage Fest](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c8095e0e7feef5b01fcaf0b82860b17e/cc8f8646-64f0-4ef9-8c29-1b05fe98ce11_rw_3840.jpg?h=37b02752f2979605fdd40b7607deaa9e)
Sausage Fest
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c8095e0e7feef5b01fcaf0b82860b17e/6cc55f33-188b-4c76-a222-7d1f11b4892d_rw_3840.jpg?h=5163557f8b5dcf28b0853daf0252bccf)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c8095e0e7feef5b01fcaf0b82860b17e/0ea8a1fc-f31b-49a7-bd3b-f3ff37549561_rw_3840.jpg?h=ed94f3d0edd475081ecf79e7ab4162e5)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/c8095e0e7feef5b01fcaf0b82860b17e/9fddae34-1fb6-4efc-b901-3046ab856732_rw_3840.jpg?h=1ae800336712d605ba43b4eae4491cf3)
“Anything that is desired or despised is always placed on the female body.” – Wangechi Mutu
I grew up hating myself and my body, hyperaware of it at all times. When I was younger, I would imagine cutting portions of fat off of my thighs to make them thinner. My project, Desired or Despised, is focused on the female body and experience. My target audience is women, but it is for anyone who has a complicated relationship with their own body. In my art, I am exploring these experiences and using them to help myself unlearn harmful behaviors and thoughts by seeing the beauty in myself and others. I am continually inspired by countless female artists who have come before me, especially Wangechi Mutu and Ellen von Unwerth and their unapologetic feminist approaches in their work. The women I make pictures of are surrogates for myself and their empowerment and struggles are mine as well. Living vicariously through them gives my inner child peace. I depict various relationships I have with my body. Sexualization, pleasure, empowerment, autonomy, violence, and acceptance are some of the themes I work with. I make art to empower women, to empathize with others, and for my own healing.
(Contact if you would like to buy a zine!)