Oil Painting
Art has always been my way of navigating the complexities of big emotions, a tool to transform the intangible into a window through which I can connect with the deep emotions of others. My work exists in the charged space where fear meets imagination—a place of both tension and potential. Through my practice, I explore what it means to find comfort and awe in a world that can often feel overwhelming, striving to embrace wonder rather than be consumed by dread.
Nostalgia plays a pivotal role in this exploration. For me, the past is both a refuge and a source of sorrow, offering bittersweet meaning and context for the present. I am never unaware of mortality. This nostalgia sharpens the uncertainty of the future, creating a fertile but fraught intersection of memory and fear. This tension—the desire to extract significance from what has been while staying open to the unpredictable and sometimes terrifying possibilities ahead—gives me a lot to work with. I frequently use extreme scale disparities, time disparities, and nature/industrial juxtaposition as metaphor.
Each piece I create reflects this dynamic: a conversation between the yearning to feel rooted and the pull of the unknown. Ultimately, my art is about seeking balance—a way to inhabit the world with curiosity and courage, experiencing awe not as a burden but as an invitation.
I work primarily in oil, using a combination of traditional and non-traditional techniques. I sometimes use water-based oil, colored pencil, and oil pastel.