As a queer woman painting gay men, my gaze is neither a direct reversal of the male gaze nor a complete denial of it. The sexualization and voyeurism is still there; however, it is done consciously, with the consent of my subjects, and marked with the intimacy, understanding, and humor that is unique to the queer-on-queer gaze.

Having previously painted scenes of Pride celebrations in San Francisco’s Dolores Park, in my recent paintings I use my studio as a stage and a group of friends as muses to play with the objectifying ways men have historically looked at women. My subjects appear half nude, gallivanting around my studio and surrounded by the art historical influences I keep in my workspace. I work from both reference photographs and imagination, leaving areas unfinished to reveal my process to viewers. My own body often appears as a character, reflecting my subjects’ gaze back on myself. My intention in providing these multiple perspectives is to further fragment the male gaze while subverting the traditional dynamics of the artist’s studio.