Before I could write words, I was drawing pictures on a notepad next to my bed of all the things I wanted to do the next day. In middle school my classmates paid me to "tattoo" their bodies with my sharpie marker creations. Art has always been my raison d’etre, the way I communicate with the world around me.

    My paintings are expressive in their metaphors and vibrant in the emotions they evoke. One of the pieces I included in my portfolio titled, “Feminist Manifesto” shows a noose strangling a figure on the right side of the piece as she attempts to speak. Tears flow from her eyes and a pearl necklace, the metaphorical leash of martini trophy wives, constricts her neck. Behind her, wings have sprouted as she tries to free herself from society’s bikini straightjacket. The figure on the right side of the piece embodies feminism’s militant persona. While taking her oath the fingers of her right arm morph into a handgun.

    I continue to make art because it clears the way the dust that gathers in my soul. For me, painting is not a luxury but a necessity. I am bold with line and color. Art allows me to be radical. Through it I express emotions about the human experience I hope to share with others who view my work. My stories are a dreamlike representation of my experience, full of passion and fantasy.

    I experiment with Polaroid photography, fibers, printmaking, sculpture and more. I hope my art makes you laugh, I hope it makes you think. Thanks for looking!

    Madison is currently a sophomore at Yale University in Connecticut where she studies Art, English and Chinese.