ARTIST STATEMENT
My intention with my work is to create a space where the viewer is encouraged to pause so they can tune into the spirit that dwells inside. I use nature as a catalyst to spur deep self-listening so that viewers can connect with a force larger than themselves to discover their purpose.
My process takes the viewer through a series of steps that, I hope, result in a desire to share themselves spiritually as individuals and engage with others in dialog socially. It starts with the cultivation of the awareness of our natural surroundings, and a curiosity of who we are within them.
I want to encourage an awareness that goes beyond labeling, and moves from seeing a mountain, a sunset, or a creek to feeling them. Feeling nature means knowing our spiritual self—knowing Truth. When we feel spiritually connected, our creative response is enhanced and we begin to engage in our purpose. We start to ask what it means to live an inspired and meaningful life.
I use the patterns I see between dreams and life experience to help the viewer reconnect with nature and gain clarity on their purpose and place in the world. In the dream state, animal spirits and the ancestors serve as guides that help us make sense of our experiences in the physical world. It is this reconciling of the sleep state with the awakened state that is the birthplace of inspiration—the fuel in our quest for purpose.
I paint intuitively in response to a variety of tangible and intangible inputs: temperature, sound, motion, feeling. I use acrylic paint, rust, sumi ink, plaster, tile grout, and found objects like feathers to build my paintings layer by layer. It is a staining process that tells the story of time in the endless cycle of birth and decay. It’s a process that mirrors how we experience our world.
My process takes the viewer through a series of steps that, I hope, result in a desire to share themselves spiritually as individuals and engage with others in dialog socially. It starts with the cultivation of the awareness of our natural surroundings, and a curiosity of who we are within them.
I want to encourage an awareness that goes beyond labeling, and moves from seeing a mountain, a sunset, or a creek to feeling them. Feeling nature means knowing our spiritual self—knowing Truth. When we feel spiritually connected, our creative response is enhanced and we begin to engage in our purpose. We start to ask what it means to live an inspired and meaningful life.
I use the patterns I see between dreams and life experience to help the viewer reconnect with nature and gain clarity on their purpose and place in the world. In the dream state, animal spirits and the ancestors serve as guides that help us make sense of our experiences in the physical world. It is this reconciling of the sleep state with the awakened state that is the birthplace of inspiration—the fuel in our quest for purpose.
I paint intuitively in response to a variety of tangible and intangible inputs: temperature, sound, motion, feeling. I use acrylic paint, rust, sumi ink, plaster, tile grout, and found objects like feathers to build my paintings layer by layer. It is a staining process that tells the story of time in the endless cycle of birth and decay. It’s a process that mirrors how we experience our world.