Artist Statement

My interests lie with the stories, experiences and emotional states of those I have a close relationship with.  Using portraiture and narrative images, I explore these sincere realities through sentiment and symbolism.

In my work, historical and personal symbolic artifacts, such as braids and veils, marry the subject’s voice, how I see them and their connection to the world.
The ideas for each picture comes to fruition organically, contrasting the directed scene my work finishes as.  An honest conversation can often ignite an image, leaving me to find the appropriate mementos to direct the picture.  In other instances, the symbols speak to me first. I then partner a specifically chosen friend or family member with them.  This associate process brings experience and symbolism together for me.

The directorial decisions made, with each piece’s subjects and symbols, is intended to create an allegorical space to project into. The open-ended ambiguity in my work is a call to bring one’s own experiences into each piece.  This added level of communication is an important part of my work and who I am as an artist.