A few years after launching Sacred Streets, I felt it necessary to frame myself in similar gold-gilded ways I was framing the individuals I met on the streets.

I was also exploring my own spiritual convictions around sacrifice and humility. I asked myself, what can I tear down? Could a breaking release what lies within the confines of this vessel?

This piece was created at Fuller Seminary in performance with  Arianna Caligiuri, Marlita Hill, and Ray Basile.

My practice is centered around portraiture that explores the intersection of humility and holiness. It is a response to writings like St. John’s that remind us that “we are not the Light, but we are witnesses to the light.” The portraits embody and act of sacrifice through the grueling process of constructing the canvas frames, hinging the measured icon windows, and laying gold using an ancient water-gilding technique.

These pieces are also a record of performance in public spaces. After the final strokes, the portrait is slowly and painstakingly cut down the middle using a handsaw or knife, and opened infront of an audience.

The shapes of the openings reference sacred icons and altarpieces. In the culmination of the performance I step back to reveal a portrait obscured by the gold gilded interior.

After entering into marriage in year two of this project, I felt such an intertwining of identity with my spouse that I couldn’t help but bring her into the self-portraits. The humble sacrifice now involved two people in relationship. It became communal.

Price: $1800