Surrealist Portrait

​I began this piece in the fall of 2018, when I was pregnant with my first son. I wanted to create a surrealist portrait full of symbols about me. I worked on this project, little by little, over the years until January of 2023 when I had the final push to complete it for my portfolio. 

When I began this piece I wanted to reflect on how to take a portrait past just a likeness, and include more symbolic representations of all the things that make up a person. With this in mind, I began by creating a mirror image, a dual figure, since I am a Gemini. I also included the Gemini constellation in between the two figures in the sky that peeps through between the ears. In the sky to either side of the figures are the Cancer constellation for my husband, and the Aquarius constellation for my sons, who share that Zodiak. Tucked under my chin, just above where my heart would be, are mirrored portraits of my two sons, Easton the eldest on the left and Beckett the youngest on the right.  

I have given myself rabbit ears in one of my favorite colors to represent my love for rabbits, How fitting to finish this piece in the year of the rabbit. When I was little I had purchased two rabbits, making the mistake of getting a male and a female. For the next few years my bunny colony grew to a high of 26 rabbits. Even though I don't have rabbits anymore you can still find images and sculptures of them throughout my home.  

Above me are two lightbulbs. I have had a fascination with light and its effect on the world since college. Most recently the Edison bulbs serve as a reminder of my wedding venue and hold an extra special place in my heart. Finally at the base of the piece is a portrait of my cat Jalapeño, she stands in as a representation of all the cats I've owned in my lifetime as they are one of my favorite animals and pets. I've joked on many occasions that if I were to come back as an animal I would prefer to be a cat, so I can laze about lying in the sun all day.