This work deals with (mis)representation, performance, otherness, and the construction of identity. By using my own form as a sort of elastic avatar, and appropriating motifs from both classical and comic realms, my paintings exist in a space that defies and subverts immediate assumption. Instead, I recast uncomfortable truths with an appetizing palette, utilizing selfconscious self-imagery and familiar language to navigate tense conversations with my viewer, and with myself.