“We have continued to exist within a society that shames us for the thighs, cellulite, and folds that encompass us. We are all more than our individual bodies, but those fleshy exteriors are what mold our individual experiences through the world.

The paintings I have created for ‘Ourselves’ dive into the bodies that surround us, and share honestly those experiences.

These paintings only graze the surface of what I aim to create with these women, and I hope to work with many more individuals to diversify the representation of this project for the future. This is only the beginning! We, ourselves, are present and never wavering in our boldness through this collection of new work.”

– Erin Sandsmark