HEY PRETTY
As a woman, I’ve spent a lot of time asking what I’m here for and what I’m worth if I don’t “produce.” The pieces are about women being distilled into objects and vessels. About bending ourselves for beauty, being appealing so we are loved or at least not hated, and breaking ourselves to create nurture and joy while making ourselves sick underneath the pretty.
HEY PRETTY never smart. never talented. never loving. never incredible. just pretty.
I’ve been processing grief. Metabolizing my pain while creating my own literal images of joy and frivolity.
You may not see it at first cuz just like me, the pieces are ironic and playful. Neon, bright, fun, with hidden depth and despair underneath it all.
The style in this series honors play and should make you want to pick up your own brush and experiment.
I made all these pieces at home. I’ve only used supplies I already collected over the years because getting started has been a huge financial risk.
But just like the woman I am, with limited resources I birthed something I think is fun and beautiful.
For me, it’s about infertility, being discarded by a man I spent over a decade lifting up, being told I’m “so pretty” when men want to use my body instead of getting to know my mind, being “pretty or not” in academic settings, being told as a performer in NYC to lose 10–15 pounds and the age ole journey of form vs function for every woman.
After a degree, certifications, and over 20 years of experience in humanities, the brain, literature, theatre, and learning science for all ages, I still get asked, “have you thought about doing OnlyFans?”
Because that’s as good as it gets, yeah? Being pretty?
I call bullshit. So does every other woman I know and this series is for you girl.
Current Series HEY PRETTY
Day is an artist working across painting, performance, film, photography, and other forms of making.
Her work is rooted in a lifelong interest in people, their bodies, identities, contradictions, memories, performances, and the strange ways we move through the world.
Originally trained in the perfoming arts, receiving her BFA in the mountains of Western Carolina,
Day has spent two decades directing, teaching, performing and making bold things with and for other people.
Same as most creatives, her arts career started with crayons and paper.
She has returned to that innocent joy, the endless wonder and that freedom that comes from experimenting with art. Painting has become a different kind of space to create; quieter, more private, and entirely her own.
This is the work for every artist, to evolve and change and she’s so happy you’re here to share in this new “era.”