My piece, Her Influence is a series of 22 female figures who have inspired me in one way or another over the course of my life. Each woman and her story have left a significant impact on me, allowing me to better understand myself, feel more confident, or feel more pride in my beliefs, priorities, and values.

 

I decided to paint these women at this scale to create an intimate experience for the viewer, mimicking what it would be like to meet these women in real life. It was important that the figures appeared realistic in scale and rendering so that this could be achieved. It was also important to me to depict them at the age that I knew them when I was first inspired by them. This is most prevalent with figures such as Audrey Hepburn and Jane Fonda, whose careers spanned many years of their life.

 

The women included in this series are: Anne Frank, Ashley Graham, Audrey Hepburn, Chrissy Teigen, Diane von Furstenberg, Ellen DeGeneres, Helen Keller, Jane Fonda, Janelle Monáe, Jazz Jennings, Jennifer Hudson, Julianne Hough, Katherine Johnson, Lady Gaga, Laverne Cox, Lili Ilse Elvenes, Meryl Streep, Michelle Obama, Sacagawea, Shawn Johnson, Tyra Banks, and Yayoi Kusama.