Twinship
"Tomales Bay" - 2010 - Oil on Canvas - 48"x72"
The imagery in this series deals directly with the loss of my identical twin sister. Losing her a few days after our birth, I know her solely through dream. I began by reconstructing family photographs. I’ve digitally manipulated the source images to include a double of myself, the only way I can include her presence. I've chosen to use photographs of myself between the ages of 3 and 6. Children at that age are physically vulnerable, awkwardly growing into their own bodies and developing their identities. Depicting myself and sister at this age helps me to convey my own vulnerability in sharing this aspect of my personal history.
By reinterpreting these images through painting, they take on a dreamlike quality. The family photo becomes an entirely different entity. The visible brush strokes, drips and palette give the images an unclear, dreamy, and often surreal mood that isn’t easily achieved through traditional photography. I consider these works a reunification process. I’m able to re-imagine my own childhood memories with my other half. During the course of this series I've found that I identify more with the added figure as opposed to my original represented self. I've begun to explore themes of duality, identity, and the process of reflection. The represented twins are also a past self and present self, a memory and a reflective individual.
By reinterpreting these images through painting, they take on a dreamlike quality. The family photo becomes an entirely different entity. The visible brush strokes, drips and palette give the images an unclear, dreamy, and often surreal mood that isn’t easily achieved through traditional photography. I consider these works a reunification process. I’m able to re-imagine my own childhood memories with my other half. During the course of this series I've found that I identify more with the added figure as opposed to my original represented self. I've begun to explore themes of duality, identity, and the process of reflection. The represented twins are also a past self and present self, a memory and a reflective individual.
