Artist Statement

My work explores how lesbian love and imagery have been co-opted by fetishistic gazes, often centering outsiders rather than the community itself. Solace addresses the discomfort of being constantly watched and the reprieve [the lesbian community] find in one another. I aim to highlight the issue of sapphic fetishization by showcasing the sense of comfort and community lesbians have cultivated as both refuge and resistance - and the frustration that often accompanies it.

Through sensual subject matter, queer signaling, and symbols of purity - painted using chiaroscuro techniques and a warm color palette - I emphasize the serene familiarity of loving a woman as a woman, even as the weight of being openly gay lingers in the background.

Solace represents the experience of every lesbian who came before me; those who have faced the struggles and emotions I now navigate. I dedicate this show not only to myself, but to community.