ARTIST STATEMENT
The heart of my art practice is creating figurative expressions of narratives of our daily society. Through observation and eavesdropping, I gather stories to create oil paintings that depict the times of our lives that are often overlooked or seen as mundane or unimportant. Watching strangers interact provide an opportunity to see the world through different perspectives. The moments witnessed from across a room or walking down a street provide stories that I translate into expressive paintings. These multilayered concepts are articulated through oil paint and rooted in my desire to create visual conversations.
My creative process often begins with photos or sketches from my daily experiences. From there, I develop abstract color studies help inform the palette of my figurative works. Each painting begins with a charcoal drawing on a brightly toned base that consists of lines and basic shapes to solidify the narrative. The story is then built with layered oil paints to create dynamic rhythm and movement. Thick layers of paint are repetitiously applied over a thin base until patterns and forms emerge. Using various media, I maintain a strong sense of textured brushwork to illuminate the intensity of the materials.
My artwork mimics life by providing both a sense of comfort and evoking distress. Similar to the human experience, the concepts of my narrative works are constantly in motion, dependent on the struggle in which they are created. By slowing down and examining my work, the nuances are just as influential as the evolution of the ultimate picture.
