Juxtaposition in America

Each piece of my artwork is very different in style, technique, medium, coloring, but all have a consistent goal – to bring awareness to my feelings of disappointment and disgust. Most recently I have been influenced by the United States’ government and the refusal to acknowledge and protect what I consider human rights and justice. Each work drips with my sarcasm, juxtaposing two very different concepts into one consistent theme. These works are created not only to make the audience understand my perspective but also for them to connect with the pieces. The viewer can easily identify both the sweet and the sassy aspects of each artwork, whether it is reflected in the contrast of colors, objects or technique. This collection was deliberately created to evoke a reaction by the viewer. The viewer observes each piece and feels the anger and dichotomic presence. Initially, the paintings are eye catching, whether it’s the tonal use of pencil shading, or the muted pastel backgrounds, these style bring the reader in. Once engaged, the viewer must face the much darker message contained within the piece, mostly through words and contrast of colors.

The first three pieces are part of the “home sweet home” collection, where I used household delicate objects contrasted with harsh wording. These initial pieces are a reflection of my thoughts regarding the Unites States’ former President, Trump, and the message I wanted to share with him and his supporters. In order to engage the viewer, I intentionally took great care in the color selections and imagery, as well as the soft style of lettering. This again is intentional to highlight the juxtaposition of the wording with the substance. The emotion behind each of these works of art is the driving force that resulted in an aesthetically pleasing design with a very harsh message. The next collection of two paintings are part of my “In sickness and in health” collection. The wording plays an integral part in shaping the viewer’s perception of the work, but in this collection I utilized mixed media to tell my story. In all the works, my intention is to startle the eye by centering the piece around an object, which is contrasted by negative wording and a pale pastel background.