In the past, I was fascinated by masks and ornamental beauty. It seemed to me that anything so meticulously crafted and distractingly beautiful must be hiding a secret. Otherwise, why go through the trouble of disarming the viewer if there is nothing to protect?
Today my fascination remains the same, only now my masks have taken the form of young and beautiful girls. Often times young girls are viewed as fragile, innocent creatures. It's easy for people to forget that behind their porcelain features lie secrets.
The characters I depict in my work each have their own little secrets – hidden thoughts, identities, knowledge, dreams. Each is an island kept locked behind long lashes and rosy lips. Physically, they appear frail and in need of protection, but they are far stronger than they seem.
If, when you look at my work, your initial reaction is: Oh, how cute! Such a pretty little thing, it's ok. My girls are experts at deception. However, don't let that discourage you, the one secret they have in common–perhaps their deepest secret of all– is that they're longing for someone to remove their masks.
