About Me - Sasha Piergeorge

My paintings explore the ups and downs of living with a chronic illness in a culture that would prefer people like me stay silent and hidden. 

I draw inspiration from the void, a space that is both infinite and empty. Living with terrible chronic pain, I often have to sit in this "void" emotionally. I cannot do anything but be still and surrender to the moment, even if the moment is unpleasant. Painting is a way to face that feeling and delve into it safely. I paint layered squares and dots of color and sink into the moment, let myself channel my existential dread and passion into the work. Art is a meditative, spiritual practice for me. I think it makes me more resilient.

Much of my work focuses on shapeshifting, contemplating the malleability of identity in the face of adversity. For years, I felt like I had to be very careful and submissive in doctors offices to be considered "good enough" or sane enough to be heard. I hid my queerness for years growing up in a more conservative area of California. I felt like the real me was behind a two-sided mirror, able to see out, yet unable to truly express myself. Yet, now I see how shapeshifting can also be a fun form of expression. In Celtic myth, shapeshifters are powerful, even divine. It is considered a gift.

The question of authenticity is a difficult one because identity itself is fluid and ever-changing. Shapeshifting can be a survival technique, a manipulation tactic, or just a costume, a way of experimenting with identity. 

I express this in my art with interference colors and iridescence. They create a sense of depth and movement, as if the painting is constantly shifting and changing before the viewer's eyes, because it actually is changing in different light. Florescent paint is another favorite go-to, as the painting completely transforms with a UV light over it, revealing another layer to the work.

Ultimately, my goal as an artist is to create work that is both visually striking and emotionally resonant. I hope that my art will encourage viewers to embrace transformation and celebrate the beauty of their own shapeshifting selves.