My monster art is an examination of identity: who we are, how we see ourselves, how others see us, and how we wish to be seen. Within each of us, there exists a myriad of smaller selves, like wild animals, negotiating between each other and the outside world to form a civilized, cohesive whole. In life, our true colors get washed out into the background while outside parties cast their lights on us, both illuminating and obscuring the selves we work to create. In my paintings, key hues from the character's flesh and attire form the background as tinted lights from opposing sides give us a tainted hint of each character's appearance. I have gone out of my way to leave the background visible between the highlights as an invitation to engage with the character's natural or chosen self, while the highlights themselves are rendered loosely to communicate the incompleteness of anyone's identity and the conflict between our visions of ourselves and the visions cast upon us by others.