Abstractions
Jess Guilbeaux is a beautiful, strong, black, lesbian woman. Growing up in a conservative part of Kansas, she'd been told she was "too black" or "not black enough", "too gay" or "not gay enough". After coming out as a teen, Jess’ adoptive parents disowned her, and she was forced to start living independently at the age of 16. Like so many LGBTQI+ people, Jess has built a support system through her chosen family.
Jess is exploring various permutations of androgyny in her self expression. We worked collaboratively throughout the painting process, landing on a composition that pushes the boundary between realism and abstraction to highlight the layers and complexity of her identity. It has been such a pleasure getting to know her through this process, and I can't wait to see what this inspirational woman does next.
This painting has found a forever home. For affordable, gallery quality OPEN EDITION PRINTS please visit Society6.com/KimLeutwyler.