Artist Statement
Finding the right words to articulate my emotions has never come easily. As an artist, I primarily experience and process the world visually. With a therapist, I’ve explored how my feelings physically look in my mind’s eye versus using emotionally descriptive words. In doing so, I realized I’ve been practicing this form of visual emotional mapping in my art for years.
The verbal-emotional disconnection has been a recurring thread in my life. My paintings depict this ongoing journey. With saturated colors and collaged imagery, I create quirky, unconventional environments. These scenes capture the complex, sometimes muddled emotions that accompany my lived experiences and reflect my attempt at embracing individuality.
As a surrealist painter, I aim to inspire a celebration of the beauty in being peculiar. Our world is filled with confusing ideas and stereotypes that only gain power when we accept them. I strive to stay open to life’s complexities, resisting the urge to put things into tidy categories. My ultimate goal is to express these ideas in a whimsical, offbeat way that reflects my personality.
I draw inspiration from contemporary artists such as Ron English, Casey Weldon, Jim McKenzie, Dorielle Cami, and Hannah Yata.