My name is Josie May Deshler (she/her), and I am a painter based in Long Beach California who uses traditional oil painting techniques to create portraits of transgender people. I bring a sense of timelessness and classical beauty to my work by balancing craftsmanship and a contemporary subject matter. As a transgender artist, I am deeply committed to creating works that honor and celebrate the transgender community, while also bringing awareness to the systemic violence and discrimination trans people experience.
Additionally, I love to incorporate painting into my daily life. This usually involves painting fruits or vegetables before cooking dinner with them, or stopping to paint a landscape that catches my eye while driving. In short, I'm never without my paints! As I develop my art practice and mature as a painter I hope to provide my viewers insight into my life and humanize my identity as a trans woman. My existence is highly politicized at the moment but most of my time is spent working, eating, and sleeping, just like everyone else.
If you are interested in purchasing any of my work or want to reach out for any reason please email me at josiemaydeshler@gmail.com