artist statement

My studio practice embodies the expression of the innate need to create, to give form to the formless. It is the result of the primal, almost visceral urge to put mark to paper or canvas; to pull a feeling from within and place it into the physical world for others to experience and share.

Through the act of creating, I am keenly aware of the process and how it is intimately tied to this desire to make. The introspection and peeling back of layers of self-doubt and social expectations to reach the final result is an exercise that is new each and every time I pick up a pencil or paintbrush. Because my focus is on process and expression, the end-product is widely varied. My work ranges from large-scale, colorful and textural abstract paintings, in which I encourage physical interaction, to tightly rendered graphite portraits, bordering on photo-realism.

The more realistic work is presented to remind people that life is finite and everything is temporary. Much of this work is based around the simple moments in life; the tilt of a sweet puppy’s head, the dimple in a little girl’s cheek, the look of adoration in a lover’s eyes. These moments are so fleeting, and life is so big and messy and complex that the sweet stuff can be easily overlooked.