Size: 10 × 8 in. & 8 × 10 in. & 8 × 10 in.

Media: Oil on gesso board

Year: 2020

Invisible Moments 

“Invisible Moments” makes the aforementioned phrase visible. My subject in this painting represents the sacrifices behind what others view as “natural” success. The viewer can see the man staying awake late at night, focusing on his work while others are asleep. While there are many drawbacks to the modern state of productivity, “Invisible Moments” focuses on the merits of fully devoting oneself to taking advantage of the present moment. I was inspired by the serene, quiet anti-voyeurism of Edward Hopper’s paintings and wanted to showcase the unseen. 

Essential 

My painting “Essential” challenges the limitations of occupation-based stereotypes. Essential workers, service workers, and blue-collar workers are often looked down upon and experience disrespect. Many people fail to realize that our community depends on these very individuals. 

By capturing the hard work of a McDonald’s employee at night through this perspective, I intentionally frame my piece so that the viewers’ focus remains on the subject, with the structure of the window panel mimicking a screen or monitor. Through my piece, I want to disrupt and dismantle these occupation-based stereotypes, emphasizing that everyone is a valuable and integral member of society, beyond the limits of capitalistic expectations.

Victim 

Sometimes, people fall into logical pitfalls by thinking that violence only happens to other people. This is not true, however. Issues like gun violence and robberies can happen to anyone. In “Victim,” the threatened worker wearing headphones symbolizes people’s propensity for willful ignorance, while the gun being pointed at the worker represents the urgency of issues such as gun-related crimes. Just as I did the composition for my painting “Essential,” I chose to make “Victim” the same in regard to framing. 

The viewer has all the voyeuristic power. Ultimately, it is a matter of choosing whether to ignore the violence or to bring awareness to injustice.