2026 Oil, 24 kt gold leaf and crackle paste on canvas 24″ x 24″ Porcelana is about the quiet transformation of identity—the process of breaking, rebuilding, and finding beauty in the person we become. “Porcelana came from a very personal place in my life. At the time I created this piece, I had a toddler, was newly pregnant, and was preparing for an art fair where I wanted to make something new. I was carrying so much at once—physically, emotionally, and mentally—and I found myself reflecting that feeling through this woman’s face. She became a reflection of how I felt: tired, stretched thin, and pulled in so many directions that I felt like I was slowly losing pieces of myself. Her painted face, heavy eyes, and porcelain skin beginning to crack represent the experience of watching my old identity shift as I entered motherhood and pregnancy. There was a sense of grief in letting go of who I had been, but also a sense of beauty in discovering who I was becoming. The gold tear represents that duality. It is not just a symbol of sadness—it is a reminder that transformation can be painful and beautiful at the same time. I imagined the tear flowing into the cracks like kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. The cracks are not flaws to be hidden; they are part of her story. They represent growth, resilience, and the pieces of ourselves that are reshaped through the experiences that change us most.”