"Tough Cookie" is a gouache painting on a 12" x 16" stretched canvas that explores themes of resilience and identity. The piece features a distorted image of my bruised and scarred knees from childhood, captured right after getting tattoos on my shins with the words "tough" on one shin and "cookie" on the other.
My middle name is Cookie, named after writer and actress Cookie Mueller, whose toughness I deeply resonate with and embody in my own life. This painting is a homage to that shared strength and the personal journey it symbolizes.
By distorting the original image into an abstract composition of shadows and colors, I aimed to blur the lines between the recognizable and the ambiguous, creating a visual puzzle that challenges the viewer's perception. The awkward positioning of my legs further obscures the image, making it difficult to discern which part of the body is depicted, adding to the painting's enigmatic quality.
"Tough Cookie" aims to invite viewers to look beyond the surface and contemplate the hidden stories and strengths that lie within.
"Tough Cookie"
Gouache on 12" x 16" canvas.
