Initiation and Adaptability

"Initiation and Adaptability" are the characteristics of the female subject which bring her the most self-worth. The woodpecker is a clever bird known for shaking up awareness and seizing opportunities. The fox is also a clever strategist and adaptable to change.
 
This collage was constructed of hundreds of paper shapes hand-cut from magazines, art papers and vintage maps, establishing a sense of place and the idea that we are made up of the sum of our experiences. The wood grain of the panel shows through the transparent paint of the skin, further enforcing the concept that humans are not separate from the natural world.

Look closely at the woodpecker's feet on a branch. You can see multiple layers of paper in its body and tail: a base layer silkscreened with leaves, tiny heart shaped cutouts, and covered with a transparent rice paper with strings. The tree is made of pages from a vintage book about the flora of the mountain states. The sky is made of National Geographic pages which I manipulated using solvent to create rich, swirling inks in the colors of nature. I used oil paint to do the final shading and details to bring this bird to life.

2019 - 36” x 48” x 2”
Mixed Media: handmade papers and paper ephemera, based on my photography and digital art, oil paint on wood panel