Artist Statement

My work focuses on expressive abstraction of the figure, with a secondary exploration of non-representative forms. While primarily an oil painter, I also engage in printmaking and collage. In my exploration of the figure—whether through oil on canvas, acrylic sketches, or monoprints—I seek to create tension that provokes an evocative response. I experiment with luminosity, color, and value, often juxtaposing broad areas of flat color with varied shapes and textures. Through layering and scraping paint, I aim to capture movement, rhythm, and vibration, allowing the figure to emanate an inner life that can be subjectively engaged by the viewer.

As I work, there is an ongoing negotiation between myself and the emerging figure. Early in the process, a familiar quality surfaces, compelling me to make decisions that lead to questions like: Who am I looking at? Why is this figure here? What significance does it hold? Alongside these existential questions are choices around style and materiality—how abstracted or realistic the figure becomes, and how the nuances of the paint contribute to meaning and completion.

Each stage of painting tells a story. While I might want to stay with the initial narrative, I find myself searching for the next story, and the next, until the imagery and narrative feel complete.

My previous research on the experience of feeling listened to revealed the complexities of human connection, and my paintings reflect this struggle. The figures in my work often gaze outward, seeking connection and acceptance, even while facing the risk of rejection. Their expressions—contemplative, serene, or sad—convey a persistence in the face of isolation, embodying the paradoxes of the human condition. Through these figures, I explore themes of vulnerability, resilience, and the longing for intimacy.