Blood Thirst (2022-)

in this series I use my menstrual blood as a medium to address the myriad of socio-political issues surrounding menstruation, creation and power. We live in a world that fetishizes and normalizes violence and sees it as an expression of strength, yet gets squeamish around periods and glosses over the difficulty and danger of childbirth. This perpetuates shame around menstruating bodies, pushes them out of public spaces and leads to a lack of systemic support. Just look at the amount of attention Brian Thompson's assassination has gotten as opposed to all the women that have bled out since the overturning of Roe due to inadequate care. By creating delicate, beautiful images using my blood, I want to defy patriarchal beliefs about the uncleanliness of menstruation and bring the viewer into direct contact with this polarizing fluid. The subject matter includes figurative works and still lives that challenge and reframe the gendered narratives deeply embedded in western religion and mythology, while confronting art as a medium that has perpetuated these biases. In these paintings, I seek to create a world that questions our ideas of beauty and strength, how we assign value, and what makes a creator.

Venus Trap II, 40"x30", menstrual blood on canvas

Venus Trap I, 40"x40", menstrual blood on canvas

Balls R Us, 40"x30", menstrual blood on canvas

Manchented, 40"x30", menstrual blood on canvas

Runaway Bride, 40"x30", menstrual blood on canvas

Bloody Mary, 29"x24", menstrual blood on canvas on panel

Still Life with Flies, 32"x25", menstrual blood on canvas

Still Life with Dairy, 32"x26", menstrual blood on canvas

The Final Rose, 20"x30", menstrual blood on canvas