Self Portrait in Watercolor

Take it or Leave it

Things Lost

Art Therapy- My Body as a Map

I started thinking about my body as a map while watching my partner study anatomy every night in our home during medical school. Maps of bodies invaded my living space, are on every screen, on the walls, on the tables. I thought about using my own body to map out my life and my past, the things that have happened, the things that don't get talked about.

"The Places on My Body Where you Left Visible Wounds (and I lied about... )"

Anger

Octopus Garden

Not only is the octopus incredibly intelligent, beautiful and strange, they are also collectors. They collect shells and other objects to build gardens and fortresses around their lairs, some even carry shells for protection. Much like myself, an obsessive collector, a builder of gardens and beautifully placed things.

Mika Dancing

Play Theater "The Little Mermaid"

I think a lot about theater and sets and bodies. Most of my friends are actors or dancers and spend their lives on stage. My limited time as a performer made me interested in what happens back stage and the preparation that goes into every show. I've been thinking about how to put my own characters into imaginary sets. This painting is based off a poster for Disney's "The Little Mermaid" that hung in my bedroom when I was a child.