For the past 10 years there has been an inner battle inside my brain. The little voice inside of my head that tells me what I want to do and what I should do. That little voice is Tina. The other half. I am Stephanie and I am in charge. I am a strong, athletic, competitive woman. I control the art making in this relationship.

My work focuses on my relationship with Tina. Tina is the one who wants to do whatever she wants. I have to keep up appearances in this life, so I have to keep Tina under control. The paintings are a marriage of paint and thread outlining the constant struggle I have with Tina on an everyday basis. I document our struggles whether it is what groceries to buy or who to vote for in the next presidential election. I am influenced by minimalist art, and for me, understanding art history is essential.

So the battle has begun. Each piece outlines the topic we are fighting about, and points are awarded. I have genuinely and honestly recorded how I think and act about each topic, and this is how the decision of points is decided. I believe that this internal struggle is one, which many people have, and many may not think about how difficult different societal pressures influence our everyday decisions from the banal to the provocative.

For the past 10 years, I have been bottled up. I only get to come out and play when Stephanie lets me. And you know what? I am angry. I am Tina and I am fabulous. Who wouldn't want to befriend me? Who wouldn't want to love me? I am sexy, fun, and I want to be wanted. I give Stephanie her pizzazz. I give Stephanie her provocativity. I give Stephanie her artistic voice.

The work I do focuses on Stephanie's lack of respect for the way I want to live. So you know what? We fight. Why do I have to buy healthy food? What is the point of a monogamous relationship if there are so many gorgeous people out there in the world? Why do I have to vote? When making my work I do whatever I want. I don't care about the rules. I don't care about art history. I don't care about formalism. I do what looks good and what makes me happy. I use paint, and thread, I can screen print, and use paper, stuffed animals, food, fabric, glue, plastic, stealing images, anything goes. I think art is too pretentious and I just want to have fun. I am influenced by myself, (of course), but also by contemporary art. I love color. I love flatness. I love nudity. I love pink. I don't want to be an academic; I just want to be an artist. A maker.

So Stephanie is right. The battle has begun, and I am ready to win.

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