‘Wake, Girl’ records feelings of anxiety, depression, isolation, and languish, and is also an attempt to escape or wake from those feelings through painting, print, and photography. Most of the artwork in this exhibition was created in winter, and the artist’s struggle to find inspiration in such a barren period ultimately became the impetus for the work. The exhibition title references a quote by American poet, Eleanor Ross Taylor (n. 1920):

"Wake, girl. Your head is becoming the pillow"

The quote has a double meaning for the artist, relating both to a need to wake from winter lethargy, as well as a more urgent and deep-set desire to shed the feeling of sleep-walking through life, and re-assert autonomy. The artist’s ongoing exploration of the female figure relates to her lived experience identifying as female, and the body’s ability to express emotion. In this sense, her work is autobiographical. The artist is particularly interested in themes of desire, seduction, sexuality, vulnerability, tenderness, objectification, isolation, and duality.

'Wake, Girl' exhibited March 15th - April 4th, 2018 at Galerie AVE in Montreal. Exhibition images by Jean-Michael Seminaro.