These images are from my BFA thesis exhibition at Millikin University, entitled Omphaloskepsis: New Visions.

Omphaloskepsis refers to the act of contemplating one’s navel as an aid to meditation—quite literally, navel gazing. In Western culture, ‘navel gazing’ is often used derogatorily, meaning someone who thinks too much about themselves, who is too self-absorbed, or even narcissistic. These two definitions are at odds with each other. Is contemplating one’s navel an introspective, reflective act or simply a waste of time? For this series of self-portraits, I have spent many hours every day staring at myself in the mirror. Are they sublime ruminations on the internal conflicts of the self, or are they representations of self-obsession? Are they transcendental or narcissistic? Is it self-reflective or self-destructive to spend so long with just yourself?

In today’s culture, it’s easier than ever to present different versions of yourself online and face-to-face. By choosing the events that we share with others, we can paint a picture of ourselves that shows off various qualities that we want others to consider. In these paintings, I have tried not to self-edit and to allow the process and act of painting to inform the way I make the picture. Rather than attempting to arrive at any preconceived image, the way I create form shifts and changes through my selection of color, the way I analyze planes, and the way I apply the paint.