(2024) Oil on canvas. 12"x12"
 
This is a still life, painted from life and found in my home. Normally, I paint still lives to explore the beauty of color and mark making oil paint is capable of. I felt, when paired together, these items brought up poignant topics.
 
I found myself looking at the branding on these objects. The corn meal brand called "Indian Head" uses an outdated stereotypes of a native america. While Sapporo is a Japanese beer that you'd only be able to tell is Japanese based on the name. I hoped with the title "American History" to encourage viewers to think about the history of the country. Particularly the treatment of Natives and Japanese people. Particularly how both group were forced from their homes at some point. Either during the trail of tears (and basically all of the US's existence)  or with internment camps during WWII. 
 
These are contemporary products and its interesting to see how one relies on a cultural group and stereotypes to sell it's products, and the other one-we have a "better" relationship with- doesn't.
 
Still lives are a great way to examine the objects that surround us. And can inform us better about individuals or a culture than a portrait can sometimes.