Self Reflection

oil on a shattered mirror

mixed personal items

2017

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This project is a symbolic rendition of my family tree. It developed out of research into my own history and my family. The center is my immediate family and the rays that extend outward and look almost floral are the members of my extended family, my mother's side of the family to the left and my father's side on the right. I developed this project in an effort to depict how large my family is and how significant they are in my life and to my identity as an artist. I called this piece self reflection because I recognize how every person in my family influences who I am today, whether directly or indirectly. The colors each have a meaning. For example, the red dots represent those who have passed, the purple lines connect those who are married and the yellow dashes connect parents to their children. The center black dot is me! Despite having a negative connotation, I want the shattered element in this piece to represent how fragmentation can be a positive element where each fragment of my family comes together to form a whole.