Artist Statement
I am a self-obsessed scientist. A creator who enjoys exploring color, texture, and materials but cannot do this without tying it back to my own emotions and experiences. I conceal my emotions, hiding behind a tougher and more put-together version of myself. Through painting, I allow myself into my own thoughts and feelings, allowing myself to dig deeper than I can outside the studio. When I began creating I tried to distance myself from how emotional the works truly are. These abstractions are an exploration of my mind, a slow unveiling of how I have become the person I am today.
I create to rediscover myself. Laying down my marks with my hands and unconventional brushes allows me to dive deeper into the works, the act of painting mirroring the raw, organic traits of the emotions I depict. I use watered-down paint along with thick, dry marks to represent the way memories fester in my brain. The harsh marks reflect the lasting memory, the emotions that stick with you over time. The fluid movement represents the fleeting memories, the ones that affect you without ever becoming clearly identifiable.
When I was younger I had four imaginary friends. Looking back I think that I was highly interested in the energy that filled the world around me, personifying the damp breeze that grazed my skin and the sharpness of the salt in the sea. I have realized my paintings have replaced my imaginary friends. I connect with them on a human level, building my relationship with them as I paint. The paintings take form from the energy that surrounds me, the unnoticed from the everyday.