All Flourishing Is Mutual: Women Who Farm
2017
My passion for sustainable and regenerative living inspired a series of artworks that celebrates female farmers. This series, born from the desire to spotlight the vital role of women in agriculture and the importance of understanding our food sources, features portraits and paintings of women sowing, tending, watering, harvesting, and gathering.
My figurative paintings capture moments of action, concentration, and devotion. Each piece was conceptualized from extensive reference material, which includes sketches and photographs from my time working on and visiting farms. My initial sketches are lively gestures, often partially visible in the final canvas, infusing the artwork with energy and dynamism. I allow myself significant creative freedom within the realm of representation, embracing painterly moments and incorporating abstraction. My work continually explores the expansive capabilities of oil paint, experimenting with new mark-making and application techniques to expand my artistic vocabulary.
In this series, I also focused on the texture and movement of flesh, utilizing the impasto quality of oil paint to convey the toughness, vitality, wear, and flexibility of skin. Through my paint application and texture, I seek to evoke the spirit and character of my subjects.
My research for this series involved visiting and working on various farms, primarily in Southern California, though I also worked from reference images, initiating conversations with farmers and asking to paint their portraits. During my on-site visits, I created sketches and took photographs to serve as the basis for my paintings. The women I paint are those who inspire me and who play an urgent and crucial role in society. My paintings not only highlight their contributions but also underscore the broader significance of sustainable agriculture and the women at its forefront.
