Tiger Stripes started with me wanting to make something that felt natural and raw, but still playful. I painted the background in bright and dark greens to give it a jungle-like feel; something alive and layered rather than flat.

I made the small leaf details myself using resin and added them directly onto the canvas to give the piece more texture and depth. I wanted parts of the work to physically come forward instead of staying painted on.

The main focus of the piece is the stretch marks. I highlighted them with black glitter as a way of reclaiming them, treating them like markings instead of flaws. Just like stripes on a tiger or zebra, they tell a story and deserve to be seen rather than hidden.

The frame is also painted by hand and finished to feel like an extension of the piece rather than something separate. I wanted the whole work to feel cohesive, from the image to the edges.

This piece, along with others in this series, was created for The Super Naughty Show in Toronto. The invitation pushed me slightly outside my comfort zone, but the core of the work stayed the same. It’s still about self-love, identity, and being honest with the body you’re in — even when the setting is bold or unexpected.