For this 8 foot painting, I used a variety of different materials to achieve the effect of mixing painterly aspects with realism. The background and edges are done with vibrant blues and pinks. That is accompanied with matching coloured 3D elements of flowers and jewellery on top of the finished portraits, which are made with acrylic paint and pressed pigment eyeshadows on stretched canvas.

With this series, I wanted to present a trans male figure, by having the top surgery scars being very visible and for most, at eye level, but add stereotypically feminine accessories to him in order to make the audience question the gender role of the model.

I used a mixture of painterly and realistic approaches to these paintings to create further doubt for the viewer. I decided to choose this topic because I want to raise questions and awareness about the spectrum of gender. This starts with him being trans but it does not end there. By adding the “feminine” accessories I have broadened the scope of the conversation to one that involves androgyny and the fact that even though you are trans you can still be androgynous.

The following are quotes taken from an interview with the model about his thoughts and feelings towards the piece:

"Like a lot of trans people, I feel really self conscious about my body. When you're trans, there are a lot of expectations about how you're supposed to look and dress, so taking the photos and seeing the canvas was pretty nerve wracking. The more I saw it come together, the happier I was with how it looked. It was refreshing to have my real body represented, without changing any of how I look to fit traditional gender expectations. Seeing those scars up there makes me feel powerful. I've never felt powerful before."