Paint and Pixels

Two Scoops and A Double Blossom

Much dissatisfaction with my last painting was the motivating factor that pushed me to finish this one rather quickly. Sometimes I feel that I am only as good as my last painting, and so I didn't want to linger after finishing "midget".

I don't know where to start about this painting. This painting is no doubt inspired by the real-life conjoined twins, Abby and Brittany Hensel, who are conjoined in the same way as the girls in my painting. About three years ago, I read a book called "One of Us" by Alice Domurat Dreger and ever since then I haven't been able to shake the wonder of physical abnomality from my soul, and I knew I had to somehow memorialize my love of "extraordinaries". Furthermore, I have been scouring the library for books about genetic mutations, and abnormal figures, and have found that they are typically only documented and depicted for scientific purposes, which can be somewhat degrading. While I do love science, what interests me even more is the deeply personal and individualized characteristics of highly unique people that make them so interesting. I want to be able to depict the beauty that comes from deformity (although not denying it also may come with much pain). I realize this is a difficult task, as it often borders on "exploitation", but I'm in the beginning stages and I have a lot to learn. For now, I'm simply going to use this painting for the upcoming art show on the 6th, but ultimately I see it as the beginning of a project much larger.