She In Layers explores identity, emotion, and the stories we carry within us. These introspective portraits and themed pieces combine mixed-media backgrounds with layers of washi tape used to create hair, skin, and clothing. Words, patterns, and textures become part of each figure, revealing fragments of memory, personality, and experience beneath the surface.
2020
2021
During this time of strange uncertainty—when places were shutting down, restrictions were placed on us, and we were urged to stay indoors—many people turned to home projects, cooking, art, and sharing their lives on video. I felt the opposite. I felt stifled, unable to create, unable to move. I felt stuck.
I continued going to work as an essential worker, leaving the house each day while my family stayed home, teaching and learning through their screens. Then the riots began, the Me Too movement surged again, and still I felt immobilized.
Amid all of this, we lost my dad and both of my husband’s parents. It was a heavy, disorienting time. This piece grew out of that stillness—out of feeling trapped, overwhelmed, and suspended in a world that seemed to be rapidly unraveling around me.
Portrait Of Bianca
2020
Bianca was created as a commissioned portrait, using washi tape chosen specifically to reflect her personality and character. Words such as strong, fearless, loving, kind, successful, and powerful become part of the portrait itself—celebrating the qualities that make her who she is.
The layers of pattern, color, and words come together to create more than a likeness. They tell a little of her story.
My Mascara Doesn’t Run & Neither Do I
2020
This piece is about confidence, individuality, and everything we carry within us. I wanted her to be bold—to have a presence that says, Look here. I’ve got this. I’m put together, and I’ve got a little sass.
Her face and hair are created with layers of word-covered washi tape, representing the thoughts, messages, and experiences that become part of who we are. Around her, wire shapes float through the textured background—books, travel, music, creativity, and other influences that feed our minds and shape the way we see ourselves and the world.
But at the heart of the piece is love—not only the love we receive from others, but self-love, kindness, and the love we choose to put back into the world. It’s about taking in the things that inspire us, holding on to what strengthens us, and allowing those things to become part of who we are.
And sometimes, it’s simply about owning who you are—with confidence and a little attitude.
The Voices In My Head
2019
11″ x 14″
The Voices In My Head began with the idea of our ancestors and the voices we carry with us. I wondered what they might say to us now and how their words, stories, and memories continue to find their way into our thoughts.
That led me to memories of my grandmother—and a little parakeet that would mimic her voice. Stories she told me would replay in my mind, sometimes appearing when I least expected them.
Viewed from above, the figure’s hair becomes a tangle of thoughts and memories, layered with words, faces, patterns, and fragments of stories. The birds represent those familiar voices that echo through our minds, while the gears reflect the cogs continually turning—one memory leading to another.
We carry pieces of the people who came before us. Their voices may change with time and memory, but somehow, they remain a part of our own.
Dreaming Of The Weekend
2019
Sometimes you just have to make it through the week.
Dreaming of the Weekend is about those days when your mind is already somewhere else—thinking about Friday, better days ahead, a little fun, a good cup of coffee, and finally having time to enjoy yourself.
The layers of washi tape in her hair hold those thoughts and small moments of anticipation, while the repeated “Dreaming of the Weekend” across her face makes it pretty clear where her mind has wandered.
Surrounded by flowers and a dragonfly, she is also a reminder to find moments of beauty and joy along the way. We may be dreaming of the weekend, but we shouldn’t forget to enjoy some of the days in between.
Under Construction
2019
Inspired by my friend Brenda, Under Construction is about working toward becoming stronger and healthier—one step at a time.
The repeated “Under Construction” across the figure is a reminder that taking care of ourselves is always a work in progress. Words woven through her hair speak of strength, endurance, motivation, progress, and transformation, while the fitness-inspired washi tape reflects the effort it takes to keep moving forward.
But being under construction isn’t about becoming perfect. It’s about showing up, taking care of yourself, and recognizing that even small steps matter.
Be patient with yourself. Keep going. You are a work in progress—and that’s okay.
Longing For The Ocean
2018
There is something about the ocean that calls you back.
In Longing For The Ocean, flowing strands of washi tape filled with waves, shells, and patterns move through her hair like currents in the sea. Her figure repeats the words “Live, Laugh & Swim,” while stars drift around her, blurring the space between ocean and sky.
This piece comes from that deep feeling of longing for the water—the peace, movement, freedom, and sense of wonder that comes from being near the ocean. Even when we are far away, certain places remain a part of us, carried in our memories and woven into who we are.
Sometimes you can leave the ocean, but the ocean never quite leaves you.
Portrait of A Future Cat Lady
2018
Sometimes you just have to embrace who you are—and maybe who you’re destined to become.
Filled with playful cat-themed washi tape, Portrait of a Future Cat Lady doesn’t take herself too seriously. From the cats woven through her hair to the “Purr-fect,” “Fur-ever,” and “Are you kitten me?” covering her face, she happily wears her love of cats for everyone to see.
This piece is a lighthearted celebration of the things we love and the little quirks that become part of who we are. After all, why hide them?
Own what you love. It looks good on you.
Cherish Yourself (Every Day)
2018
This piece has gone through several transformations—mostly in the background. At one point, I thought it was finished, but I still wasn’t satisfied. I didn’t want anything to distract from its message: to cherish yourself every day and enjoy the journey.
After experimenting with flowers and dragonflies, I finally reached a place where the piece felt complete. It’s now varnished—officially done.
We often get so busy taking care of everyone else that we fall behind on caring for ourselves. Exhaustion creeps in, doubts follow, and we forget our own worth. This piece is a reminder that you are a wonderful, loving individual. Don’t forget to love yourself.
Keep Going (With Anxiety Confined)
2018
This self-portrait explores the tension between pushing forward and holding yourself together when you’re overwhelmed. The hair is made of caution-tape washi—bright yellow, loud, impossible to ignore. It represents the constant warnings our bodies and minds send us when we’re overworked, anxious, or stretched too thin. I braided the tape to symbolize keeping that anxiety contained, controlled, and tightly managed, even when it wants to unravel.
In contrast, the rest of the piece uses lighter, calmer tones—soft florals and gentle textures—to reflect the parts of ourselves that crave peace, grounding, and ease. The face, formed from washi tape printed with days of the week, speaks to the rhythm of daily life: the routine, the repetition, and the pressure to keep going no matter what.
This piece is about carrying your worries with intention—acknowledging them, managing them, and choosing not to let them take over. It’s a reminder that even in the midst of stress and constant motion, there’s beauty in the act of holding yourself together.
Never Be Anyone But Yourself
2018
After creating #Dreamer, I discovered how much I enjoyed using washi tape to create abstract portraits. I love that the person in the portrait doesn’t have to be anyone in particular—she could be you, me, or someone passing by on the street. There is something universal in her, but at the same time, she is completely her own.
The repeated words “Never Be Anyone But Yourself” form her face and body, while “beautiful” winds through her hair—a reminder that our beauty comes from embracing who we are rather than trying to fit someone else’s idea of who we should be.
This piece is about trusting yourself and your own path. Life may not unfold the way you imagined, and the ending may look completely different from the one you expected. Sometimes that unexpected path is exactly where you discover more of who you are.
Be yourself. You are beautiful.
#Dreamer
2017
This is the piece that started it all.
Originally created in my art journal, #Dreamer became the beginning of my exploration of mixed-media portraits using washi tape. At the time, I wrote that I thought it might be the starting place for a new series. I didn’t know then just how much that idea would grow.
I have always liked the idea that our hair holds memories—the experiences, thoughts, and moments we carry with us. Here, words and phrases wind through her hair: journey, discovery, imagination, memories, possibilities, creativity, and adventure. They surround the dreamer, becoming part of her story, while the butterflies suggest transformation and change.
When I look at myself, I still see the dreamer I have always been. Dreams may twist, turn, grow, and change as we do, but they don’t simply disappear. They become woven into our memories and into who we are.
#Dreamer began as a reflection on that idea, but ultimately became something more—the beginning of a creative journey I was only just discovering.
