The Girl on Paper

As a child, I was painfully introverted–constantly coiling and fidgeting my fingers out of shyness. This portrait was painted based off a a picture of myself at the time, in 2014, and at moments like this, is when I would coil my fingers: fidget with them like they were the only thing that interested me. I utilized this symbol, not only in my pose, but also through mixed media elements, composed of rolled up tissue paper, coiled into an embodiment of my mental state. Below is also a cutout of an art project from the time–a relic really–of “who I want to be when I grow up.” A confident woman with dazzling pink hair proud eyebrows. This portrait embodies the beginning of my journey from the timid, coiled child I once was to the confident individual still unfolding on the canvas.