Inherently, we are interested in observing others as a way of understanding ourselves. My mixed media paintings are inspired by this curiosity and invite the viewer to participate. These portraits are individualistic narratives which explore personage through self-presentation, facial expressions, and gesture. The work often challenges dominant social hierarchies by focusing on the under-revered, and appreciating the subject’s presence and dignity, giving pause to honor the person. My approach is much in the style of an empathetic documentarian while simultaneously disrupting that with the use of unexpected spatial relationships and materials like sequins, fabric, plastics, and other found objects, bringing in a childlike playfulness to contrast with the almost confrontational observations.
The aesthetic is assertive, and the color is divorced from naturalism. Skin color is therefore eliminated which I believe is metaphorical for the hope that society aspires to, and achieves, equality among races and other kinds of human differences. The work is meant to honor the entirety of humanity—not just one section of the population or kind of person. Similarly, I tend to envelop my portraits with this color and pattern in order to venerate the individual.
With some of the works, I've been experimenting with texture and the physical quality of the surface through using alternative recycled materials such as pieced-together bubble mailers and paper bags. I've found them to be exciting and sturdy surfaces and believe these media add a uniquely interesting and environmentally friendly component to the work. I also see the integration of post-consumer waste of our globalized culture as a socio-political act which expresses our interconnectedness in what that we consume and waste, but also compares what we consider treasure or trash. I believe the combination of mixed media/found materials with portrait painting brings the genre into a contemporary expression.
I have also started experimenting with the overall shape of the paintings beyond the “square” and with adding more substantial 3D elements, like sculpted fabrics, which offer a higher relief element to the images.
Ultimately the paintings venerate the individual, studying human nature and its relationship to storytelling. An ultimate goal is to inspire working for a more socially and environmentally just world, encouraging people to appreciate and love one another, and to understand the importance of social justice and respect for our earth and all its creatures.
