Artist Philosophy

Creating art that I love is the first step in my practice. If others love it, I’m happy to share with them as well. I am primarily a painter and as I’ve spent time looking and painting, I find myself in line with the expressionists as I enjoy bold use of color, lines and rapid brushwork. I do not seek to perfectly portray a scene, nor to even capture the light in a scene, but instead I see colors first and foremost and seek to communicate those even to the exclusion of details or realism. When I paint, I can take a few different routes to accomplish the composition. Sometimes I’ll utilize life as my source, such as in plein air. Other times I’ll work from photographs. When working on an abstract piece, I’ll use my mind to find random images and colors that feel right, or express the impression of a place or situation. The things I paint usually stem from a sense of meditation and inward search. My paintings may be about a memory or a moment, or an attempt to synthesize many thoughts into one canvas.

Beyond acrylic painting, I’d like to create objects and transform spaces and places so that those who move through the spaces are able to see the unity between natural and human life, and feel fulfilled. There is a sense in which I wish to see spaces and places recovered from modern development so that the flora and fauna are honored as an inseparable part of human life.

A lot of different experiences have shaped my philosophy. I’ve had the privilege to travel to several continents, and have lived in several states. Each time I’ve traveled, I’ve learned from the people and lifestyles I’ve encountered. Culture is something incredibly powerful for human beings, and being shaped by and shaping culture is unavoidable. Culture helps us to interpret the experiences we have.

Art is meant to express, and to challenge. The work I make often expresses a sense of nostalgia, storytelling, and honor. I desire my work to be rooted in a place- in reality, in my cultural context, in a biome. I desire to live in a world that has harmony among and with all living creatures. I want to make art that respects and leads to protecting water- our most precious resource. We each have one life. We all have one planet. I want to have a life that honors life, others and the planet.