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Take a trip into the world of Caia Koopman- enter a world of bright neons, black tears and well defined femme- fatale pouts. Her take on the female form becomes a main focus in her works, as she firmly takes hold of all the power that is held within a woman’s sensuality and persona. The girls she displays are akin to childhood Barbie dolls gone wrong, or right. Koopman is able to work her talents such that one look into one of her painted ladies’ eyes demands your attention, and keeps it.

Juxtaposition of traditional elements of artwork make these paintings particularly interesting. One moment you’re admiring the cheerful birds and bunnies in “The Big Year”, and the next your gaze tilts to the smatter of tattoos on skin and dramatic rock and roll makeup these girls possess. This brings to mind the matter of femininity, which Koopman does a fantastic job of redefining. Strength and softness combine to show that her subjects need not tame themselves to merely one style- that the ideal woman is one who presents herself in exactly the way that she wants to with no boundaries.

The cartoonish portrayals of women range from headshots to full body paintings, and are a twisted new look on the images we have been accustomed to seeing. The range of her works varies beyond these modern harajuku-esque woman. Also taking nods from traditional Sailor Jerry style artwork and Dia de Muertos inspired sugar skulls, her skills in her craft are reminiscent of magical realism- taking the ordinary woman, or animal and crafting it into something beyond the audiences wildest dreams.