Precious Things

This piece is inspired by the music of Tori Amos, specifically, her 1992 album, Little Earthquakes. I've been a huge fan of Tori Amos' music since I first saw her perform live, late one night, on MTV's show 120 Minutes. Her music had a massive influence on me as an adolescent navigating who I wanted to be as I grew up. Her themes of self empowerment, loss, heartbreak, religious dogma, melancholy, and rebellion in the face of so much hypocrisy aimed at young women really informed me on a personal and artistic level. For this small homage to Tori Amos' music, I dug deep into the themes and tones present in the album. Rather than depict one particular scene or song, this painting takes its cue from the overall feeling and imagery present in her music. It is littered with visual references to lyrics from some of her most well known songs including, Crucify, Silent All These Years, Precious Things, Happy Phantom, Tear In Your Hand, and Little Earthquakes. Once I finished this painting I sat down with it, put on my headphones and listened to Little Earthquakes in its entirety. For anyone that is a Tori Amos fan or knows that album well, I encourage them to do the same.