Just entered these studies into a local gallery show.
A Snarl Is a Sort Of Smile explores the complexity between how the world sees us, and how we see ourselves.
We may feel trapped by and, at the same time, embrace our self-image, family, friends, labels, and culture. We may wonder who we truly are and how we choose to see ourselves.
In these studies for a larger collection, masks and totems imply the possibility of personal transformation. The figures also seem entangled in their environments. Or, are they happily becoming whole beings? This ambiguity invites viewers to consider individual fluidity, cultural diversity, and universal oneness.