In these figurative portraits, I explore the disconnect between the personas we curate for the world and the unedited selves we conceal. The carefully rendered floral arrangements rest heavily on the subjects shoulders, despite their beauty, they weigh her down. This visual juxtaposition alludes to the societal obsession that equates beauty with value, where appearance is treated as a currency and traded for validation, acceptance and power. Through these works I encourage viewers to ponder the societal pressure to conform to beauty standards, the fetishization of youth, and the objectification of the female form. When women’s bodies are policed and commodified, it only serves to further perpetuate the disconnect between their authentic selves and the public personas they feel necessary to curate for the world, a dilemma I confront daily.