3 Middle Fingers Up

DETAILS
length 9” x height 12” x width 1.5”
Spray Paint + Acrylic Pen + Latex Paint
Painted on Canvas
Back is Wired to Hang Without Framing

The pink background represents femininity. The gestures of the fingers show that women refuse to be silenced. Pink is a traditionally feminine color. By juxtaposing it against the image of a raised middle finger, I merge these two seemingly conflicting ideas—that of feminine softness contrasted with a hard-core message of power and strength. 

Painting middle fingers up in my art is an act of defiance, of reclaiming power from a patriarchal society and the oppressive structures it puts up. As a feminist, painting the middle finger is an act of protest and a proclamation of my autonomy over my body. 

Thus, in painting middle fingers up in art, I reclaim the power of the message it conveys and challenge the system which seeks to oppress me. In doing so, I make a powerful statement of the freedom of self-expression and the right to an individual identity and agency.

About The Artist:
Liz graduated from Appalachian State University and then attended the Portfolio Center in Atlanta. She completed her studies winning several student awards. Liz was attracted to the professional challenge of working in New York. She worked primarily as a graphic artist in Manhattan for seven years. After attaining the position as head of graphic design for the popular shoe brand, Dolce Vita, she focused on establishing herself as an independent artist. Returning to the south, she developed a steady demand for her art through social media and local showings. In Atlanta, she painted several murals in public spaces to voice her social concerns. After relocating to Charlotte, Liz created a body of work for festivals and arts shows, including Bethesda Art Row and The Festival in The Park. She was awarded an Honorable Mention by SouthEnd Arts and the Brooklyn Collective in 2021. That year Liz was also accepted into a mural residency program by Brand the Moth, where she completed her capstone mural at Lenny Boy Brewing Company. Liz’s work was displayed nationwide after being juried into the ArtPop class of 2022. She had had her first solo show at The AC Hotel that same year. Her second solo show was in January 2023. She moved into her studio at The Village at Commonwealth in February 2023.