Artist Statement

    My primary means of creating art is to paint. I create paintings in oil and acrylic paint on several types of substrates. I have always favored the traditional ways of making artwork, whether with paint, ink, or charcoal, which causes me to stay away from digital work. Although the concepts I play around with are, personally, challenging to translate into a three-dimensional form. I have made sculptures and ceramic work in the past, but they have not engrossed me as much as painting and drawing have. The way paintings hang on the gallery walls, paired with the feeling of paint stretching across the surface, all draw me into the process of creating in a way that is very near and dear to my heart.

   The actual content of those artworks exhibits inner thoughts, fears, and memories that I live with. There are complex feelings that I have trouble grasping, so I translate them into my art to express them without using any words. I draw influence from the Surrealism movement and how the unconscious mind is portrayed throughout the works, causing me to depict my dreams and create strange scenes directly from my imagination in my artwork.

   I create art to connect with those who view it and to evoke emotions. Strangely, most of my work is a direct extension of myself that I put on display in order to be understood and known by the people around me. The paintings I am captivated by inspire strong emotions or provoke thought, and I attempt to do the same through my work. I create personal work that, at times, can be very vulnerable while also creating strange work for fun. I feel that my art can be equally moving as it can be absurd. I possess the urge to create art, and I believe making art should be as painful as satisfying.