Artist Statement
The artist has suffered from body dysmorphia disease (BDD) since she was a teenager. BDD sufferers worry about how their body appears to others but in reality, they are judging themselves in a way that others never see.
It occurred to her that her reflection in the mirror was just light molecules bouncing off of glass. There is no judgement in lightwaves. If humans could see their bodies as just geometric shapes with no stigma or judgement, just like the light does, then we could have a more positive feeling about our bodies. As we age those shapes get longer or wider but they are still recognizable as our own body. There are many works of art with mirrors and images in mirrors, with one of the most famous being Picasso’s painting of the “Girl in Front of Mirror”. The message of “Shapes in the Mirror” is one of acceptance and joy without the anxiety over size and shape.
What followed was the concept for three tapestries portraying the female body as it changes from undefined youth, to glorious adult, to declining maturity. By using the same primary colors in the weaving the tapestries are connected together over the span of time while keeping the playful feeling.
This playful feeling speaks to age being just a number and not a mental state. One can feel old in their 30’s and youthful in their 80’s. The overarching message is to be kind to yourself no matter what your age, weight or body type.
We are just time and shapes in a mirror …