The physical and emotional exhaustion that performing societal norms brings about drives the tone of this work. I am depicting honest states of being - focusing on agency, defiance, and weariness, all while attempting to stay true to my own conflicted identity as a brown woman in America. 

This body of work features women of color engaging in leisurely, restful moments. Within them are themes of rest as resistance, rejection of patriarchal ideals, and subversions of motherhood. I make intentional use of gaze, pose, and environment to ensure that my subjects have agency over their actions, which are in direct opposition to how brown bodies have historically been depicted. I take care to elevate my subjects; painting them with care and tenderness while rejecting overt sexual objectification. I use the gaze in particular as an additional tool to remind the viewer that these scenes exist within a singular moment of rest, one that has been interrupted by the very act of viewing the piece. 

Art historically, it is common to see women placed alongside delicate and domestic objects that further perpetuate gender roles and stereotypes. Bully-breed dogs, specifically Pitbull Terriers, are often seen as symbols of masculine power and status. They are labeled as aggressive fighting dogs, and are grossly overbred then discarded. The parallels between the exploitation of this breed and the exploitation of women are painfully apparent. My intention is to present these traditionally masculine symbols resting alongside women as a way to subvert harmful notions that oppress both. It is also a satirical attempt to subvert motherhood, presenting a chosen motherhood instead of an imposed or expected one. It feels like a cathartic breakthrough to be able to represent brown women in this manner - in defiance, engaging in loving moments with their companions, free of labor.