Artist Statement

I create art to break down the invisible mental barriers restricting my ability to occupy a meaningful space in the world. Through painting and exploring mixed media such as embroidery, organic material, beading, and collage, I transform innermost reflections, worries, and desires into an image with weight and vitality. Oil paints have a slow drying time, lending itself to my meticulousness. Working slowly allows my paintings to accumulate an introspective presence, reflecting and fleshing out the purpose of each piece. I develop crisply simplified realism by applying gestural brushstrokes and thin layers of glaze over an underpainting, refining details until I can coax the image out of the canvas.

My inspiration comes from the hypnotic movements and patterns found in nature, my collection of antiques and found objects, and art historical research. This eclectic approach guides my use of portraiture and still-life paintings to examine self-image and close relationships. I focus on obscuring archetypal imagery, family photo scraps, and magazine cutouts collaged into a new context. Currently, I am exploring the combination of tactile mediums onto a painting’s smooth surface to form multi-sensory depth.

Recurring themes in my work include autobiographical symbolism represented by flora and fauna, food and the inevitability of decay, Thing Theory, and social resistance materialized through traditional American folk art and textiles. These themes are a lens through which I can capture my experiences of disordered eating, dysmorphic self-image, queerness, and the psychological trappings of complex trauma. Overall, my art acts as a binding thread of personal connection, weaving intimate memories into universal sensations of hunger, nourishment, bittersweet nostalgia, and the innate longing to be understood.