This page will cover all of my work from around 2024 when I started college at PCA&D. It is chronological from the earliest pieces at the top to the most recent ones at the bottom.

“Stretch”

This is one of my only oil paintings from before PCA&D, since I didn’t really have the space to do any more. The sketch was done in a medium which I almost never used before, so it changed a lot during the process. I tried the grisailles method and liked it a lot, and have since started implementing it in my watercolor paintings in a similar way. This painting is about my struggle with sensory issues as an autistic person, and how sometimes I feel like there’s something crawling under my skin.

The greyscale underpainting with fixed proportions.

The original sketch in burnt umber, with slightly off proportions.

A study of the materials, as this was my first oil painting.

“Freedom”

I made this piece after getting top surgery, and though it was technically for a class, I view it as a very personal work to me. At this time I was finally feeling like I was able to go out and be confident in my skin in just a tshirt, rather than needing to wear oversized sweatshirts to cover myself up. I painted this with watercolor and added accents in colored pencil.

A figure stands central in the composition. They are in only long socks and shorts. They lean back with their hands at their side, cradling stars in each hand. A larger star obscures their face, but their head is leaned back, looking to the sky.

CFirst Semester Class: 2D Design

This class had us working entirely in greyscale. I explored more digital tools than I usually use, but overall still came out preferring traditional materials and methods. I did pieces in ink and watercolor, as well as some acrylic paint.

“Never Enough”

This piece is a self portrait about how, even after getting top surgery, I still struggle with gender dysphoria. It seems that now that my main concern wasn’t there anymore, I just found more things to be self conscious about. I attempted to use the grid method for this one, though the proportions were still very off so I digitally fixed it in the final. The original on paper still has weird proportions, but I don’t think it looks bad. I painted in blue and red first and then added the yellow to add more interest. This work is entirely in watercolor.

A watercolor painting of a figure reaching out, their arm obscuring the bottom half of their face. Their eyes are surrounded by red, with a trail of red tears going down their face. They have scars on their chest, also bleeding red trails.

The sketch for the painting to the left zoomed in on the face. A pencil sketch of a figure reaching out with their arm obscuring the bottom half of their face. They have short flowing hair and appear angry.

A process picture of the painting zoomed in on the face. A figure reaches out, their arm obscuring the bottom half of their face. Their skin in this stage is shaded with blue and red for accents. Their expression is neutral in this stage.

John PCAD

As I attended PCA&D, my group came up with a little joke about the “CEO of PCA&D” being a peacock in a suit. I decided to illustrate it and the idea kind of developed from there. I’ve become somwhat known around campus as the “Father of John PCAD”, and have done more projects related to him for campus events since.

A Frida Kahlo inspired self portrait of Mauro. He has dark hair and eyes and a neutral, almost tired expression. He is wearing a black turtleneck and his hair is slicked back. The background has bright green foliage.

Frida Kahlo Inspired Portrait for Art History

I feel like this is probably one of the only self portraits I’ve ever done to really capture my likeness without transferring a sketch from a traced image. I didn’t have to redo the sketch a million times and the likeness carried through to the end, which didn’t often happen for me. The background was a definite struggle and I still don’t like it very much, but it works as a background. This was for a group project with my friends Kelis and Cat. I’ve started experimenting with Sakura Koi watercolors for more realistic skin tones since they’re very different to work with than my usual Schmincke palette.

The final pieces all together after being digitally collaged and printed.

Mauro's final self portrait after being collaged together and edited.

The brown underpainting in watercolor for the skin tones.

A process picture of the brown underpainting.

The brown underpainting plus black for the hair and shirt.

A process picture right before the final step.

The self portrait without the background.