Art is the authentic reaction of the artist to a phenomenon observed…
–John Graham
As an artist, my goal is to capture the emotion, energy, and sensory stimulation of everyday experiences that are often overlooked.
Each piece or series begins with a reaction to something I’ve witnessed or discovered, most often in a natural setting. I am captivated by the perfectly formed, tiny flowers that grow in the cracks of asphalt, and heartbroken by the sense of loss over trees that have fallen. These momentary flashes of experience break the monotony of routine and beg to be preserved.
My pieces tend to be chaotic, energetic, and messy—a direct reflection of the fragments of emotion and sensation that intertwine to form a reaction. All at once I experience my surroundings, sensations that are separate yet simultaneous. I hear the breeze awaken the treetops and feel my hair brush my cheek. I am hot, or cold, or wrapped in the comfort of a mid-summer fog. I feel the crunch of fallen leaves beneath my feet or a seeping, spreading wetness as I step into early morning grass. I photograph my surroundings in these instances; not to recreate an image later, but to remember how I felt.
When working in the studio, I surround myself with these snapshots of memory and paint them as they come—a small tribute to honor the moment that has passed. In whole, my projects have become a painted journal of experience: the intermingling of life and art.