Artist Statement

As an immersive sculptural artist, the work consists of intertwined fiber, painting, and found objects, exploring nostalgia and memory through childhood crafts, materials, and techniques. The fragility of objects and memory, while amplifying emotions through the engaging presence of the work, is enhanced by the use of color, nostalgic materials, and processes. The artworks are infused with the essence of play, which evokes a sense of wonder.  Within recent years, childhood memories have taken on the form of lies and deception. Depictions of memory fill the gaps left behind in the past. The initial visual appeal masks a more complex negative experience of early familial pressure, lack of attention, parental absence, and manipulation.

Pieces are frequently suspended from the ceiling and embrace the lightness of fabric and string, and the motion of human movement around them. Bright, joyful, pastel hues in large washes of color simulate the base memory, and then the "darkness" or negative emotions are depicted through burn holes, dark areas of color, and black accents. Diffusion and Abstraction of materials, people, and objects reference the inability to recall memories without a trigger and the avoidance of difficult, specific memories due to time. The artwork is a visual depiction of acknowledgement of darkness while still allowing for the light.

Trapped emotions of my inner child and the chosen medium guide the mark-making and textures. Experimentation and play allow childlike sensibility to emerge. The marks are used to create pattern, consistency, and atmosphere. The pieces are process-oriented, a combination of abstract mark making with large sections of dripped and splattered paint and small, detailed areas scattered throughout.

Each work incorporates a range of nostalgic media, family photographs, and found objects. These pieces are elaborate narratives that often intertwine elements of perception to create a holistic sensory experience. The ideations are sourced from past landscapes such as parks and playgrounds, and include references to my hometown. Some of these include: buttons, fibers, shells, gifts from individuals, photographs, domestic items used by family, and collected items. These objects, events, or individuals from which I received the items come together within the paintings. Sentimentality of material is essential to the process.

This grounding in personal history, combined with familiar materials and processes, allows the artwork to invite viewers to reflect on their own memories through collective nostalgia.