For as long as I can remember, I have struggled with my weight. Being Mexican American, I have felt like I was part of two cultures that held a certain canon of ideal expectations for the female form; none of which I fit into. Like so many people, I have experienced sizeist bigotry, unwarranted comments on my body, and have felt like my body is against me in many ways. I have felt powerless and trapped in my own skin. I feel like I am shedding that skin and coming into a skin that is full of power and confidence. Some people may find my work shocking or uncomfortable to look at but I like this reaction because it gives them a taste of the discomfort I have felt in my own body, my entire life. My paintings are my attempt at moving into a place of self-compassion, love, and appreciation; all of which I hope for my viewers. I am essentially trying to transfer my great love for oil painting into a part of my life that I was never able to love: my body.