In Plain Sight
The Introduction
I’ve had a nugget of an idea rolling around in my head for a while now, and it’s finally time to get it going.
If you follow my work, you already know that my passion lies in storytelling. Demonstrating the small and significant ways we connect with ourselves and with each other. And in the current political climate, where difference is so often weaponized, I’ve felt a growing urgency to create work that unites rather than divides. I want to make art that amplifies voices and affirms our shared humanity.
This project, like many things, began with my own story — specifically, my journey with gender identity and undergoing gender-affirming surgery. It was a personal decision to better align my inner self with my outward presentation, and when I began sharing this with friends, I was met with a wide spectrum of responses.
Some people celebrated this step with joy. Others were unsure how to react — silent, neutral, or uncomfortable. Then there were those who directly expressed disgust or disapproval. And it’s this last group, surprisingly, that became the target audience for this work.
To those people, I wanted to say:
“You’ve known me for a long time. I am inherently the same — so what’s the big deal?”
But for them, something fundamental had changed. I was no longer “the same person.” And yet, the external change was minimal — I’ve been a butch lesbian my whole life, literally. Removing my upper shelf and asking for a pronoun shift to they/them wasn’t a massive leap. But somehow, for some, it was too much.
For those who know and love me, though, it was easy to see that I was still me — which proves something I’ve believed for a long time:
It’s hard to hate up close.
That realization became the spark behind In Plain Sight.
I began to think: how can I make work that offers this kind of proximity — that puts the humanity of transgender, non-binary, and gender-expansive individuals in front of people who might not otherwise look?
I toyed with ideas like overprinting and visual metaphors, but they felt forced — too graphic, too conceptual, and frankly, not my style. Then, over coffee with a friend in Nashville, the answer landed: stories. Simple, personal, powerful stories.
Something like Trans Like Me, but visual.
What Is In Plain Sight?
In Plain Sight is an ongoing visual storytelling project that centers the lives and voices of queer, transgender and non-binary individuals through portraiture and deeply personal interviews. The stories explore universal human themes — belonging, play, grief, joy, identity, and connection — all through a queer lens.
Each conversation is intimate and open-ended. From those interviews, I extract a single potent quote — a line that captures the emotional heartbeat of the moment. That quote is then typeset by hand using traditional printing techniques such as letterpress or wood type.
Alongside each quote, I create a portrait of the participant, usually a linocut print or painting, which may include their face but often focuses on another part of them that struck me: their hands, a gesture, a posture — something deeply human and resonant.
These paired pieces, image and text, are displayed together, creating a quiet yet powerful moment of empathy. The goal for the viewer to not just see someone else, but to see themselves in someone else.
This is how I’ve always made artwork — by pulling imagery from life, from stories, from shared narrative, and inviting the viewer into that experience. These aren’t just “trans stories.” These are human stories — stories about being alive, navigating identity, and trying to belong. They may be told through a different lens, but they are still familiar, still relatable. And that’s the point.
I want this work to build bridges, not borders.
Why Now?
As a working artist, I’m in a unique position to speak openly and take creative risks. I’m not easily silenced for the stories I choose to tell — and I recognize what a privilege that is in a time when many are being punished for their perspectives.
Professors are being fired for discussing gender diversity. Artists and educators are being attacked, censored, or “canceled” for views that differ from the loudest voices in the room. We are watching the erosion of nuance in public discourse.
In that context, I see it as not only an opportunity, but a responsibility, to create work that elevates unseen stories, and gives visibility to voices that are often ignored, erased, or misunderstood.
That’s what In Plain Sight: Portraits and Stories from the Queer Human Experience
is all about:
Making the unseen seen, and the unspoken heard.
Support the Project
In Plain Sight is a growing, grassroots project fueled by personal investment, artist residencies, and the support of a community that believes in the power of storytelling.
To bring this vision to life, I’m currently working with print studios across the country, participating in residencies, and conducting in-depth interviews — all self-directed and partially self-funded.
I’m inviting you to become a supporter or investor in the project. In return, you’ll receive hand-printed artwork, behind-the-scenes process updates, and the chance to directly contribute to a body of work that challenges assumptions and affirms our shared humanity.
You can also support the project by joining it. As I travel the country for internships and artist residencies — from Minnesota to New Mexico to Vermont — I am actively looking for participants to interview for this project. If you are transgender, non-binary, or gender non-conforming and would like to share your story through this work, I would love to connect. These conversations are relaxed, open-ended, and deeply respectful. Your voice matters and deserves to be heard, seen, and honored.
Together, we can make something powerful — not just for the LGBTQ+ community, but for anyone seeking connection in a divided world.
