ABOUT

The word persona is rooted in the Latin word for a theatrical mask. Carl Jung
described persona as a social mask that we all put on. Something to embody, a
different mask for a different setting. My paintings are currently exploring these ideas
by obscuring the subject’s face so that their headdresses are the focal point. The
individual is merely a pedestal for displaying these objects.

Throughout time in every corner of the planet, people have adorned themselves with
the natural beauty found around them. This universal practice was done in order to
enhance our appearances, or project a certain status. Whether it was wearing a
wolf's pelt to appear more powerful, or a floral and feather headdress to draw the
eye, we all share in this lineage. What was the shaman trying to convey by wearing
bones? What are we all trying to communicate to others through our appearances,
both physically and digitally?

The decision to work on wood panels is deliberate. The wood grain is naturally
beautiful by itself. I allow the surface of the wood to remain visible with transparent
paint. Allowing the viewer to see through the figure into the natural beauty works to
contradict the addition of paint and adornments that obscure our view.