Artist Statement

My artwork explores moments in time, visualizing thoughts and emotions through imagined scenes led by themes such as humility, perseverance, and resilience. Through oil painting, with definitive marks interacting with suggestive forms, I am invited to prayerfully reflect on the tension between innate gestures and thoughtful action. 

As someone in her twenties, the hard years of growing associated with coming of age are in my work. My practice provides a supportive place for me to wrestle with ideas of culture and faith while indulging in the joy of escapism. In expressing what lives in my mind to the tangible canvas, I choose to represent my concepts in a way that mirrors the rhythmic ebb and flow of a story or poem. I lean into their ability to portray a raw version of the human experience while also consoling us with artistry and wit which can lead to mental freedom.

The physicality of pushing glossy oils across a vast canvas feels both nostalgic and humbling. It’s a reminder of the importance of practice in my formative years. The scenes I depict connect to the coastal North Carolina aesthetic in which I was raised. The moody colors and natural environments not only reflect my Southern roots, they also allow me to demonstrate feelings of peace in tandem with melancholy. Painting remains a practice that encourages awareness through the meditative process, reminding me that I still create out of a child-like fascination for the material.