In her candid oil self-portraits, Californian painter Peyton Burnett reflects on what it means to grow and evolve as a human being and the courage, fortitude, and perseverance that ensue. Once a victim of bullying throughout periods of her childhood and young adult years, Burnett saw her personal growth stifled and her creative voice silenced repeatedly. The period of introspection that followed produced works of raw sincerity; visual journals playing out the intensity of growing pains and the strengthening of her character, all to produce her mental strength and determination along the way.

Burnett’s artistic vision reached maturity in 2019, when she completed a residency in Venice, Italy, during the Biennale. Inspired by the works of the Renaissance Masters, she began a series titled The Story of Me, a collection of ten self-portraits documenting her journey of self-evolution and healing. In one of the earlier pieces, Voices in My Head, the artist lies on the ground in a fetal position, her hands pressed firmly on her ears, in an effort to block out the insults and profanities written all around her. Following the various stages of development, her quest attains peaceful resolution in Growing, Transforming, and Serenity. The artist remarks, “Today, my work reflects not only my perseverance and strength through those adverse times, but the courage to continue sharing those raw stages of growth that we all experience as humans.” Throughout the series and her current works, Burnett incorporates 23k gold foil sourced from Venice, in addition to oils, pigments, and spray paint.

Burnett received a B.S. in Studio Art and Fashion Merchandising from Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY. She exhibited nationally and abroad, namely at the 2019 Venice Biennale Festival and throughout Southern California. Originally from Los Angeles, she now resides in Inglewood, CA, where she works as a full-time artist and fashion designer under the pseudonym “Peyton, The Artist” and through her company, THE CODE STUDIOS.