We often call nature our mother and nothing symbolizes the nurture mother to me than breasts. In this painting I captured the various elements -- forests, water, fire and land and the delicate balance in nature.

My mom had breast cancer when I was a senior in college. In my own coping of her illness, I did a lot of research trying to understand the “why”. In this painting, I drew the connection between environmental destructions and breast cancer, which often leads to mastectomy – a procedure of removing breasts from bodies. I showed the violence in nature will eventually turn into violence to our bodies. This is me remembering that injustice in one place often ties to injustice in another.

This painting is the end of the Breasts series. The painting started off as another breast themed landscape; however, my obsession with breasts had dwindled in the past year or so. I reflected on my relationship with my mother since she’s been cancer-free. For a while, all I wanted to create was about her and breast cancer. I finished the painting with sage ash and burned paper ash. With ashes, I am thinking about re-birth, rising from the ashes, and cleansing. I want a different type of relationship with my mother. I want a new beginning for her and for me. As I embark on the journey to art school, I am ending this painting with the hopes that I can release the pain and confusion as well as the mommy issues I have. I used to do everything to please my mother and now I am ready to please myself, with my art and everything else.