Artist statement
I am interested in the human condition and the experience of aliveness.
My work is based on personal experiences, observations of people or situations from life and my imagination. I primarily explore themes of mortality, agency and connection and I am informed by an interest in psychology and sociology as it relates to introspection and group dynamics.
I often make drawings and paintings creating portraits and narrative scenes. I visualizing my ideas using simplified human forms to represent aspects of myself and people I know. The imaginary situations I construct often reference allegorical narratives and Western art historical tropes including Memento Mori.
The motif of water has always been important in my work. For me it relates to many interconnected things; to the activities and rituals of everyday life; to expressions and functions of the physical and emotional body; the universal experiences of birth and death; and the oceanic feeling of oneness.
My most recent work is focused on mortality, mutability and meaning in life. Using the metaphor of the cycle of life and the ritual of a birthday party to visualize the passing of time and seasons of change, the work considers Western attitudes towards aging and what makes a good life.
