statement

Statement

2023
Through my oil paintings, I transform frustration into impactful expressions. The backdrop of my work captures the unsettling realities that confront us daily. Amidst the annoyance and disillusionment, I also seek inspirational stories worth preserving and enlightening future generations. Engaging viewers with interactive elements, I depict portraits and hands and feet doing mundane routines intertwined with the collages. At first glance, the figures may seem isolated, but upon closer inspection, the articles reveal themselves, urging viewers to delve deeper and confront uncomfortable truths. I intend to go beyond mere aesthetic appeal and create a unique approach to make a difference and ignite a spark within each viewer, encouraging them to question, reflect, raise awareness, and, ideally, become involved in societal change while being sympathetic.

2022
My artwork is meant to be influential. Reading and listening to continuous bad news can be disturbing. I love working in oil paint to express my feelings and ideas, so rather than getting frustrated by my inability to effect significant changes, I channel my emotions into my work using cutout news articles as a background collage. To work in a style that involves the viewers, I paint portraits or hands doing mundane tasks, like clipping nails, polishing nails, drinking coffee, etc. Viewers may have been unaware or indifferent to the subject of the articles, as is the person in the foreground. Still, they can study the articles and, even better, become involved after reading. Hopefully, it was a novel way of expressing my opinions.

Later on, I became enamored with the addition of floating dandelion puffs and soap bubbles to my recent works as a metaphor for my beliefs, hopes, and dreams, which originate with me but spread my concerns, hopefully drawing the viewers in to read some of the individual articles below the transparent bubbles. History shows we cannot have a bright future without correct historical recognition and reflection. I try to find the truth in what I say by using historical articles and the realities of current issues to inform the next generation.

2018
While reading about and listening to social and environmental issues in the news, the articles and stories began affecting me in such a way that I wanted this to be reflected in my art. I depict my reactions to these events through the visual interaction of hands, feet and portraits painted against a backdrop of current news articles that have touched me.

I use original newspaper articles about historic events in order to preserve those stories on paper for the future. I am concerned that printed media may cease to be as prevalent in the future due to rapidly developing technologies.

All the pieces in my current series portray the daily lives of ordinary people who are depicted as unconcerned, or at least uninvolved, by performing everyday actions juxtaposed with disturbing or encouraging real world newspaper images and articles. My objective with this series is to get viewers involved. That's how we change things for the better.