ABOUT THE ARTIST
Celina Leroy is a Brooklyn-based artist and NYC art educator whose work is deeply influenced by her own experiences with a Port Wine Stain birthmark.
Through her art, she tackles themes of identity and beauty standards, creating powerful portrait paintings that advocate for individuals with visible differences.
Her mission is to redefine societal notions of beauty by transforming perceived imperfections into celebrated art forms.
In this space, explore her journey and the inspiration behind her impactful series that seeks to change the narrative around beauty and facial differences.
Why this work matters
People with facial differences and visible birthmarks often experience stigma, bullying, discrimination, and social exclusion.
Research from Changing Faces found that 70% of people with visible differences experience negative social behavior such as staring, verbal abuse, or bullying, while many report feelings of isolation and anxiety in public spaces.
By centering real stories and faces, Celina Leroy's work challenges narrow beauty standards and encourages empathy, representation, and acceptance for people living with visible differences.
Artist Statement
"To me, birthmarks are like maps; coastlines, islands, and rivers of color that make every body unique. Nature repeats its forms, but never in exactly the same way, and these markings are part of that quiet design.
Through portraiture, I paint visible differences with the same care and reverence that art history has long reserved for its most celebrated subjects. Representation matters because we cannot imagine ourselves reflected in a world that refuses to see us.
By placing people with birthmarks and facial differences at the center of my work, I hope these paintings become mirrors; inviting those with visible differences to feel recognized, while encouraging others to look beyond stigma and toward our shared humanity."
— Celina Leroy
