Maya Norton

I paint portraits to show that queer people, BIPOC and women not only deserve the spotlight, but radiate their own divine light. To highlight the divinity of each portrait subject, I explore themes of abundance and inner peace. I crown subjects with flowers and adorn them with stars. I blur the line between human subjects and natural elements to evoke nature goddess imagery. I paint subjects simply relaxing, at peace in the gloriousness of their existence, unbothered by any voices that say they are not good enough. I pour vibrant colors, soft sunset clouds, and light refracting through water into every corner of my canvas to infuse the energy of natural abundance. If people are unaware of their beauty and power, they are easy to control. With each painting I create, I hope to shine a light on this beauty and power and help envision a reality where women, BIPOC and queer people are celebrated. I hope my paintings serve as portals to this reality that can simultaneously transport viewers and show that the seeds for this future are already present all around us.