What inspired Born to Frolic as a show? 

Erotic work has been dominated by male artists, and in turn the male gaze. Through the queer lens, I like to break that stereotype by making bodies that are informal, bodies that are just bodies, bodies that are unnatural through the colors of their skin and the stylistic elements. This show has been something I’ve been working on since the fall semester of 2023. Lesbian art isn’t something that is often celebrated by the media unless it is digestible by the male gaze. 

How did you choose the name of the show and of your pieces?

Born to Frolic was a working title for a long time, but I couldn’t imagine the show being called anything different. As children we want to play, to not worry about society’s expectations of us, so as adults we crave that childhood nature of play and playfulness. I’m a sucker for play on words, so titles play a huge role in my work. I believe titles help to inform the viewer more about my work. They can be humorous and add to the playfulness of the piece.

Your poster art for the show: what inspired that piece, if anything? 

The work I’m creating is innately punk, such as some of the unstretched canvas and what I’m painting about and the concepts I’m exploring. Going against the status quo is something I enjoy, so I knew my poster had to reflect that. The imagery is based off a tattoo I have, as well as the labrys, which is a lesbian symbol. I wanted the poster to feel like a DIY show poster from the punk scene.

Any specific song(s) that matches the vibe of Born to Frolic?

“Boys Want to Be Her” by Peaches or “Cool Smhool” by Bratmobile.

How was the turnout for the opening? 

The turnout was alright; what I paint is very niche, so I think people get intimidated or thrown off by how in your face my work can be, but the feedback was mostly positive.

What is/are your favorite piece(s) from this show?

My favorite pieces are Butch Bliss and Pile of Punks. I’ve recently been exploring airbrush and it’s exciting getting to use something that I can be experimental with.

If you could do this show over again, what would you change, if anything?

I would make the work bigger, and not be afraid to have alternative installation methods. For example, the piece Pile of Punks, I had no idea how I would install it. I ended up using double sided velcro to attach it to the wall.

Have you begun to plan your senior show? If so, what can people possibly expect?

I have started planning for my senior show; I will probably be following the same or similar concepts— Lesbian work that is unapologetically colorful and humorous, still exploring the body as the subject, but I would love to expand the scale to life sized people or larger.

Are there any artists at AU, or in the public realm, that inspire you? Or, what inspires your works?

My professor, Trevor Bennett, has been pushing me to work bigger and bigger, and he has really been a supportive mentor for me. Artists that inspire my work would be Keith Haring, Catherine Opie, Claude Cahun, Clara Tice, and Sadie Benning. I want to create work that I’m represented in as a butch lesbian, and I want the body to be represented in an unconventional way in a way where it’s celebrated and not held back from expectations or gender.

If you could redecorate any space on campus to be more your style, where are you choosing and what would you do to it?

I would love a community mural space that people can add to if they please. Something where people could step away from assignments and just create work together. So probably somewhere in Harder.