I engage in spontaneous and unconventional manipulation of the canvas.

Process is at the heart of my work.  I engage in spontaneous and unconventional manipulation of the canvas, and this practice is the primary outlet through which I am able to interpret the world around me.  While I often struggle to express myself with words, painting allows me to express my feelings in an ambiguous manner without conflict.  I use the process of painting to reinterpret events that occur in my everyday life; therefore, inside of a finished piece is my reaction to the world around me, unencumbered by words. 

I am fascinated by the ways that different artistic media can react with one another, and it is through this alchemic process that my paintings take shape.  I layer spray-paint, ink, gauze, dye – whatever I can find – to build up, and then tear apart the surface of the canvas, creating complexity through depth and texture.  I embed plaster, fabric, cardboard, and medical gauze, undermining the surface integrity of the canvas by deconstructing it and then piecing it back together.  Combining disparate materials such as oils and acrylics, I stray from conventional techniques by disregarding the compatibility of the respective mediums.  While the norms of traditional painting advise against such practices, I am seeking a different end in my work, one that is incompatible with tradition.  Like Jackson Pollock, I recognize that the journey toward making a work of art is as important as the work itself.  My haphazard painting process mirrors my chaotic, conflicted world.  My paintings are not premeditated; they are direct reflections and extensions of my life as I continue to live it.  In lieu of creating conflict in my own life, I express myself directly in my work, bringing these conflicts to the canvas.  I am not afraid to experiment with different mediums, colors, or techniques.  Just as in life, when unexpected obstacles and challenges arise, I strive to take the unpredictable results of mixing media and create a harmonious solution. 

My work is open to a process of interpretation akin to the way that I create it.  It is a multi-step process between artist and viewer. 

My desire as a painter is to create works that leave gaps for the viewer to fill in and formulate their own ideas about their world.  Similarly, I strive to create works that inspire self-reflection.  The struggles inherent in the process of creating a piece– what works/ what doesn’t work, parallels my basic of understanding the world.  I was born a blank canvas and my diverse experiences have coalesced to enrich my learning process, my work, and myself.  Consequently, my paintings are a result of my continuing desire to mend.  I am constantly experimenting, creating and defining the person and artist that I am and aspire to be: morphing myself into my own creation. 

Art is and always will be a learning process for me.  It helps me not only grow but survive.  It is my hope that the places of order and chaos on the canvas help make the oftentimes turbulent daily life more bearable, understandable and meaningful.  Painting is my therapy; the viewer is a part of this process.  My philosophy is that life, like a painting, can never really be ruined in the process of its making, it can only be recouped and saved.