princess.

there comes a day when every princess must learn to rule and govern her kingdom but more importantly, herself. spawning from a nickname given to me by my mom and dad as their first-born daughter, “princess” became more of a character of mine, as i learned to navigate life independently without my parents. my mom, who i had a strained relationship with, and my dad, who died when I was ten years old, bestowed an expectation of greatness upon me when they gave me that nickname. It was more than a nickname, but a title. one to live by and to honor. a part of me learning to take care of myself includes taking care of the little brea’, who struggled as a child to just be a child. instead, living with the looming pressure to be excellent, she made that the priority. now, through this series of work, the princess is not only able to learn to navigate her own life but shedding anew on her younger self who needed a bit more nurturing. 

this work is in response to research that centers around how i process and think about challenges throughout life. i found that journaling and speaking aided me through the process of making. the physical process is imperative for me and connecting with the work, similarly to the way children work with materials.

i looked to an abundance of artists and influences for this work, most notably studying kids drawings from the internet. outside of that, i looked toward mickalene thomas to understand composition when collaging work. njidecka crosby is wonderful for reference in intertwining found/collected imagery with other mediums to create a new landscape for a somewhat familiar narratives. for work that lines up with mine more specifically, i found solace in sophie parsons, who also uses childlike imagery and mark making to communicate ideas of grief, self identity, and the passage of time.