BIO
fine artist
bfa opsu 2013
fhsu mfa candidate 2025
PROFICIENCIES
oil painting
acrylic painting
pastel
watercolor
oil pastel
sculpture
printmaking
drawing
ceramics
jewelry making
At my core, I seek to connect with others through empathy, using my art to share personal experiences. My formative years were tumultuous, and humor became my way of finding meaning in chaos. This perspective informs my work, which often explores irony, absurdity, and raw honesty.
I draw from everyday expressions to shape my work, such as Effigy of a Former Husband (inspired by “getting caught with your pants down”) and Egg on Your Face, Sunny Side Up. Vulnerability is central to my art; I believe that as human beings, we are our most honest, authentic selves when we are at our most vulnerable. The subjects in my work are often exposed in their vulnerability, revealing a truth about themselves that would otherwise be hidden.
Scale and unconventional presentation enhance my work’s impact. I gravitate towards large compositions. Scale can further magnify the intensity of the feeling I’m attempting to convey. Creating structures like coffins (Effigy of a Former Husband) or floor displays (Beneath the Weight of Expectations) deepens meaning through association. I primarily use figurative realism, believing that the human body is the most powerful vessel for expressing emotion. Oils and acrylics serve different purposes in my practice: oil for depth and blending, acrylic for speed and versatility.
Recently, I have embraced a looser, more expressive style, allowing me to be more experimental with color and more intentional with my brush strokes. This shift has been profoundly self-reflective, offering new ways to communicate emotion.
To be vulnerable is to be courageous.
