Artist Statement

I've always been fascinated by my surroundings and every single object in them. As a child I intensely heard, smelled, tasted, felt and captured the nuances of the human experience more than the adults around me. I observed and reflected on my observations with an intensity that unnerved many. I wasn't the kid who only saw shapes in the clouds, I saw shapes in everything. All of the objects around me - tree bark, sidewalk cracks, paint chipping off walls, they all piqued my innate curiostiy and my mind raced with alternate possibilities. It didn't take much to inspire me to take my pencils and turn them into the vivid three-dimensional scenes I saw in my mind.

I used to go to antique stores with my mother and spend hours staring at the intricacies of the old brooches, embroidered garments, drawer pulls, stamps, old books, magazines and even pens. I appreciated their artistry and craftmanship. Most people just passed by those old dusty trinkets, but not me. They fed my craving for visual decadence. I collected and treasured them. So much time and passion for detail had been put into them, that I just knew they had other lives, other stories to be a part of. The more detailed, vibrant or resilient the objects were, the livelier I imagined the stories to be. It is that complexity, vibrance and decadence that I bring into the life of my art, hoping to inspire thought provoking emotions of wonder and excitement that I felt as a child.

My ulitmate goal is to create a greater consciousness of the subconscious dialogues and scripts that have been fed to all us by society, culture and religion. Through my art, I seek to connect and communicate with my community in a way that words can not. To incite reflection, self-knowledge, and empowerment to help meet and interpret the challenges of living in today's modern world.