Artist Statement

My work is a collection of personal myths that focus on the interaction between the sacred and the profane.  The women in my paintings are caught in an intimate moment, each adding tales to a collective micro-mythology that every individual must craft for themselves over a lifetime. My work puts a spotlight on the many faceted and ultra-individualized means that we adopt to cope with, rationalize, and accept daily trials. The nudity of the figures highlights their vulnerability and challenges the notion of the classical ideal by placing the figures in an unideal or uninviting setting. They inhabit dreamlike inner landscapes that bring the unconscious into the realm of waking life. My work explores the idea that one’s own body is a holy place, a self-contained source of experience akin to religion. I paint scenes that reveal quiet, private and raw moments on a large scale to emphasize that even the most unflattering aspects of human life are worthy of appreciation.

I create narrative paintings that convey emotional experiences using the visual language and techniques of Western art history. I incorporate the symmetrical and ornate qualities of religious architecture, the archetypal symbolism of tarot, and classical mythology. Growing up overseas exposed me to a wide variety of religious practices and values, which gave me an appreciation for the way spirituality is translated visually. I am particularly drawn to the solemn and introspective compositions of religious iconography. My work often makes use of negative space to allude to religious symbolism. I am interested in the way these commonly recognizable motifs can carry a connotation of grandiose significance without requiring in-depth knowledge of any one practice. The large wood panels used in my work mirror this sense of importance while also evoking the feelings of wonder, mystery and self-awareness that spiritual aesthetics bring on a smaller and more individual scale.