'Comfort Art' Collection

My intrigue by the deep connection that humans have with food, fueled by how people used it as a coping mechanism during the COVID pandemic in 2020, is depicted within my collection, “Comfort Art”. The series of delicacies painted in this collection are all universally relatable as comfort food.

 

From baking sourdough bread to nostalgic snacking, comfort food consumption has risen during the pandemic. In times of uncertainty and stress, many people seek solace in food. During this last year, it was cooking, sharing, and reviving old childhood classic snacks that have brought small joys into our lives as we stayed at home. It was those moments where we were able to create memories with our loved ones. No matter gender, age, or location, feel-good and nostalgic food was a universal common denominator in what gave us comfort during a stressful time. I found myself reverting to childhood favorites such as pop tarts and marshmallows during the pandemic because it brought me a sense of familiarity and comfort, which gave me inspiration for “Comfort Food”. 

 

My work is aimed to stir physiological feelings and impulses. The delicacies painted in this collection evoke feelings of happiness, comfort, nostalgia as well as trigger an intrinsic feeling of hunger and yearning for instant gratification. Viewing these treats which we learned to turn to since we were children brings back forgotten memories with special people we’ve shared them with and brings us back to feelings we once experienced. “Comfort Art” also depicts the important part that food, specifically desserts, plays in our lives and how we use it as a means for emotional comfort. 

 

The large scale of these paintings is meant to depict a tremendous sense of extravagance to the viewer.