Artist Statement:
My paintings document an ability to liberate my internal conflicts by transforming them through the visceral task of painting. Each work tells a story, but my imagery does not resonate as just one thing. Both familiar and enigmatic at the same time, each time you look, you see something new. The whimsical atmospheres I create are characterized by the unification of my adolescent and adult states of being. A celebration of dark and light, joy and sadness, or fear and fearlessness erupt in the form of stories, densely laden with ominous images cloaked in illuminated shapes and textures. My rhythmic appetite is fed by my physical approach to mark making and results in the appearance of a visual dance. A process of painting based on a foundation of formlessness shaped by color compels me to build and strip layers of paint that seems to exist in parallel universes, as I endlessly search for the spirit of what is not yet revealed. We (the paintings and I) are in a constant state of dissolution and creation. I allow my construction process to bleed through so that there is a sense of interpretative mobility, a door left ajar…. just enough visual information for you to recognize a symbol or a mood and experience it in your own memory. In a dreamlike fashion, not only do seemingly incompatible parts fit together, but also their potency relies on their close proximity to one another. The pulse of a realized artwork surfaces amidst the remnants of effort and stillness at play during its creation. Ultimately, the work acts as a buffer, so that I may reconnect with my cosmic self. From this vantage point, I see my paintings as a mirror, reflecting the possibility of the connectedness of all things. If you find yourself lingering, it may be because you see yourself in them…
Education:
MFA- The Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts
BFA- Moore College Of Art And Design
Awards & Distinctions:
Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts Scholarship, Critella Award
Watercolor Society Of Philadelphia Award
Moore College Of Art And Design, Sarah Peters Award
Professional/Teaching Experience:
H Design- Artist for decorative painting company 2011
Multicultural Youth Exchange- Artist facilitator/Teacher 2008
Summer Yates- Specializing in classical faux finishes 2005-present
Les Artistes- Artist for decorative painting company 2001-2005
Artists@Work- Scenic Artist 2001-2006
Exhibitions:
The Independence Seaport Museum "The Exhibition" Philadelphia, PA. 2012
The Schuylkill River Banks "Art In The Open" Philadelphia PA 2012
Rowan University “Repetition: Repetition” Glassboro, NJ 2011
Red Hook Pier “Wide Open”, Brooklyn, NY 2010
Empire Fulton Ferry State Park “Outdoor Sculpture Show”, DUMBO, NY 2009
The Crane Arts Building “Houston and Bowery” Philadelphia, PA. 2009
MBN Studios Philadelphia Fringe Festival “Soundhouse” Philadelphia, PA. 2008
Moore College Of Art And Design “Alumnae Exhibition”, Philadelphia, PA 2008
Blink Art Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2008
Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts “Thesis Exhibition”, Philadelphia, PA 2007
Moore College Of Art And Design “Alumnae Exhibition”, Philadelphia, PA 2007
JMS Gallery “Group Show”, Philadelphia, PA 2006
Germantown Academy, Philadelphia, PA 2006
Kimmel Center For The Performing Arts, Philadelphia, PA 2002
Artist Tags:
abstact, brightly colored, folk art, exspressive
