Through combining sexually charged motifs, ranging from iconic to mundane, my paintings reflect the way I perceive and experience of my own body. In my work, body parts merge with stilettos, food, and domestic spaces. Ultimately, my studio practice also mirrors how I consume images presented by social media. Scrolling is manifested as layering; visual overload as jarring neon colors. Internalization is reflected as the tension between recognition and abstraction. The sway between confusion and clarity embodies the sense of conflict I find within myself and the superficial expectations often placed upon women, particularly in American society.

Monica Bill-Hughes lives and works outside of Troy, NY. She received her MFA at The State University of New York at Albany in 2014. Monica's work has been shown internationally in Copenhagen, Denmark Sydhavn Station Gallery. She has also shown throughout the East Coast, at the Albany Center Gallery, Collar Works Gallery, and in Richmond, Virginia at the Anderson Gallery, among others. Monica received a Juror’s Choice award in the 2015 Mohawk Hudson Regional, juried by Rachel Uffner and has been featured in MAAKE Magazine. Monica teaches Painting and Drawing, as an adjunct instructor at RPI.