Laguna College of Art + Design

Making Mischief is a series of mixed media paintings about deviating from the norm. The creative shift that I went through in making this body of work mirrors my journey as a queer person, rejecting both the confines of traditional realism as well as the norms of a heteronormative society. In doing so, I have developed a new visual language that juxtaposes bold, graphic shapes with areas of realistically painted forms. My new paintings rely on the use of symbols to get my ideas across, allowing the viewer to bring their own associations and life experiences to my images. Some recurring themes in this body of work include sexuality, identity, and the celebration of human vices. I treat all these conceptual ideas in a playful way through my use of specific symbols, bold color, and patterns, ccreating a unified look throughout this body of work.