(Photo Credit: Kim Hernandez)
First, the exciting news — I have a painting in an art show in NYC which opens next week! (More info on that to follow)
Last year I got a call from someone who was looking for artists to be part of a group doing life-sized pieces based on the idea of body mapping. We met every Sunday for 12 weeks, and through that process I created this piece. The process was not without its challenges (for various reasons), but at the end of it all I found what I was looking for in wanting to do this in the first place — a sense of community in a group of trans & non-binary artists as well as a piece I’m truly proud of.
For my piece, I started with each of my kids tracing half of me. Since the piece is about me and where I am, how I embody space, feelings, etc. it seemed like it made sense to have my kids be a part of the process from the very beginning. They truly mean so much to me and I’m lucky to have them in my life, shaping me as I grow older.
My piece is titled “You aren’t much, I said one day to my reflection in a green pond, and grinned” which is part of the Mary Oliver poem I included in my piece.
If you’re in NYC and available, tickets are free (but limited). Info is below, along with more photos of the piece. And if you can’t make the opening, the work will be up through end of May if you want to stop by The Center.
This exhibition features six artists from the Transcend NYC program, a 12-week workshop supporting transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary artists in creating life-sized self-portraits through body mapping. Beginning with the outline of their own bodies, each artist transforms scale into visibility and resistance. Through color, text, and symbolism, the works reflect lived experiences of joy, grief, resilience, transition, and community. These pieces are more than portraits—they are embodied narratives. Displayed in recognition of Transgender Day of Visibility, the exhibition affirms that visibility is not simply being seen, but being honored and understood. Each work reminds us that taking up space, telling our stories, and being visible are acts of courage.
Project Transcend Creator and Director: Cheryl Paley; Assistant Director: Tym Moss; Project Photographer: Kim Hernandez. Exhibition photography credits: Kim Hernandez
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