Artist Statement

The framework for my art resides in carefully constructed compositions and dynamic figure ground relationships that are utilized to create movement. Expressive line quality loosens the tension produced by a complex structural undertone, allowing for texture and depth to coincide. Intentionally, abstracted shapes bring negative space into focus. The addition of both contrasting and analogous color, that vary in intensity, enhance what the work communicates.As an individual, I too have a complex framework that structures who I am. It has been through loss that I have experienced the healing power of art. With a heightened sense of empathy for those around me, I have experienced confusion in separating my emotions from the emotions of others. Art brings clarity to the confusion I believe the most powerful forms of expression require no words at all. Art is my language. It allows for communication between my conscious and subconscious mind. It is an opportunity for me to better understand myself, whether that be personal, in relation to another, or in relation to my place in the world. I believe emotions and thoughts cannot be wrong; they simply exist. To understand who you are, you must first heal. Heal from anything that keeps you from growing. Growth is uncomfortable, but necessary. My artwork is representative of journeys: journeys to better understand myself emotionally and journeys to better understand those around me. By viewing the natural world as a metaphor for our emotional states, abstracted shapes are often found in my work that are representative of natural elements. In wonder and awe of both the creation of the world around me and the complexity of the human mind, my art resides deeper than the abstracted aesthetic. The process of creating the work tells of a journey from thought to action, it is essential. Living in a world of constant motion and movement, it is vital to take the opportunity to still one’s mind. I have discovered this through various art processes that have allowed me to reach a mental stillness. When water flows down a river, it is moving but there is a sense of stillness. The same is true for the process of art, and the same is true for the viewer. By trying to embody the stillness one feels when sitting beside the water, my intention is to connect to the viewer through my art. To provide them with just a moment of mental stillness and give them the opportunity to allow their mind to wander. Both the juxtapositions of movement and stillness, and complexity and abstraction remain the foundation which my work is built upon. It is the process of creating art and the discovery found along the way that make the end product increasingly meaningful.