My work asserts that women’s navigation of safety, autonomy, and visibility is shaped and often constrained by enduring structural inequalities. At its core, my work is about women boldly taking up space and living beyond the boundaries of societal expectations. Despite progress, historic ideals of piety, purity, submissiveness, and domesticity continue to shape perceptions of femininity. As both daughter and mother, I confront these inherited standards firsthand, exposing the ongoing tension between collective social norms and my own pursuit of autonomy and safety. Through my work, I invite viewers to reflect on how these pressures shape their own sense of space, safety, and belonging.

In my paintings, smiling female figures confront the viewer with unapologetic gestures that alternate between humour and defiance. These gestures, which may seem childish or rude, are deliberate acts of resistance. Their dynamic presence challenges cultural narratives about how women are perceived and how they safeguard themselves.

My textile work and soft sculptures assert the power of maternal storytelling. Quilts transform into vessels of memory and resistance, sewn on my grandmother’s machine as a testament to generational strength. Keys symbolize the dual burdens of protection and vigilance. Their exaggerated forms disrupt expectations, blending absurdity with defiant humour. Together, my paintings and sculptures demand recognition of women’s strength and vulnerability, insisting on their right to occupy space without apology. When women refuse to shrink, the world expands with possibility.