"Lotus"

Artist Statement:

"Lotus" is a flower that grows in a muddy environment, and blooms fresh and gorgeous as it emerges. The model wears a traditional lotus pattern to show that symbolism directly, as part of who she is.

She is a gorgeous woman who finds her own path in a system and culture that continues to cater to a narrow margin of representation (symbolized by a series of white women with one body type in the vintage 1950s fashion pattern paper in the background.) Most of the women in our society cannot and don't relate to the images we see marketed to us at every turn.

The key is for each of us to be a lotus and to be our own beautiful unique self in spite of the messaging. It us up to each of us to grow in our own journey to acceptance and self love, so we can confidently look ahead and exist outside of that mentality, as the subject demonstrates with such grace.