First Things, 2026

"First Things"
Oil on wood
36"x48"
Signed
Unframed - edges painted black

Bathrooms are such interesting places when we really stop to think about them. They’re where most of us begin our days, and where we end our days before going to bed. They’re private spaces, yet shared by everyone in the home. They’re filled with our personal belongings that help us become presentable to the rest of the world – toothbrushes, towels, makeup, razors, medications, hairbrushes – all part of our daily routines.

In our house we have one bathroom. Every morning, the four of us compete for our turn to become functional humans. Someone is always waiting outside the door, urging whoever is inside to hurry because they're running late. I have two teenage daughters, and to them, bathroom time is sacred. “Just a minute” can easily become twenty minutes. Teeth, skincare, makeup, hair… the hair clogging the sink drains - bathrooms tell some crazy stories when we listen to them. You never really know a person until you've seen their bathroom.

Bathroom are full of honest moments, and First Things is a painting about just those moments. The moment that come before everything else. Before work. Before school. Before responsibilities pull us all in different directions. It’s these first ordinary moments, the ones we often pay so little attention to, that quietly set us up for the rest of the day. Our routines help make us who we are.