In considering the formation of my own identity, I became interested in the role of place and the environments that have shaped my sense of self. This painting brings together locations that are deeply familiar to me and reconfigures them in a way that invites viewers into spaces they may never have encountered.

The background references the upholstery fabric of the bed frame from my childhood bedroom, a site that surfaced immediately when thinking about formative spaces. At the center of the composition is a locket, one I wear daily, opened to reveal a landscape spilling outward. The scene inside depicts an island in the San Juan Islands, where I spent much of my childhood and have many fond memories. These two elements are brought together through a surrealist approach to collage, allowing interior and exterior spaces to merge.

Water plays a central role in the composition, reflecting its importance in my life and memory. By extending the image onto the sides of the canvas, I emphasize the physicality of the objects and the spaces they contain. This gesture allows the painting to push beyond the picture plane, existing not as an isolated image but as something that enters the viewer’s space.