Statement

An artist statement is ever changing. Typically, artists have a starting point or a round about idea of what they are doing, but it becomes clearer as they create it. Below, I will continue adding notes of what I am doing and you will see my statement unfold:

* I am currently exploring two new bodies of work.  New statements coming soon! Follow me on social media for the latest #wip. 

• My works continue to stem from my personal experiences. Growing up, my uncle and I had a tough relationship. I always thought he was a jerk and didn't go beyond that. When he passed, it came into light who he was and I learned much more of his other side. I regret this and wish I had taken an effort to learn more about him.
• Assumptions are an interesting thing. Some assumptions are bad and some are innocent. People have assumed many things about me. The following have been collected over the years: 'Is that a really nice tan or are you black', 'You are really young', 'You can't be a teacher, you are too young', 'smile, you look mad', 'your too pretty to look angry'.
• I made a call to social media asking people to send me their snapshot of their face and tell me assumptions they have gotten from others. I am creating work that displays these assumptions boldly.
• In a world full of selfies, surface and fast technology, I long for raw human expression and considerations over assumptions.
• A 4-6 hour session on a portrait enables me to focus not only on the persons raw expression, but to keep the painting fresh and see what I can capture from the person I am painting.
• Raw expression and resting face? The part of ourselves that is between different human states or emotions. Raw, true, the expression of ourselves that truely captures our inner self.