Birthday Girl
2021
Acrylic on canvas
78 x 56 in
When I started this painting, I had in mind a girl celebrating her birthday in a kind of pastoral scene, where she isolates herself from the group to take selfies.
While I was working on that in my studio, I had the radio on; They were telling the story of a 16-year-old boy who was beaten by his parents and kicked out of his house for wanting to be a girl. From that day on, his only safe-places were a friend’s car where he sleeps and the school where he eats and studies.
While listening to him, I was struck by the optimism with which he spoke about his life, the desire he had to be 18 and be able to work and to fend for himself.
As I finished the face of The Girl, I realized that the story invaded my mind and guided my hand to paint the face of the boy instead.
The Girl, this girl, was embodying his life and story.