ARTIST STATEMENT

It has been a journey to arrive at this moment as I am. At Utah Tech University, I found urban untraditional painting and thought I’d want to pursue it forever. Living in Southern Utah, it began as an act of rebellion. Red rock and religious paintings are valued as gold. With absolutely no interest in following that path, I was told that my cigarette paintings weren’t going to sell in St. George. They were too vulgar for the small conservative city. At my senior exhibition, I sold every single one. I was told by an inquiring man that my rendering of Marlboro's evoked solace and remembrance of a family member who had passed. In hindsight, I learned a lesson here. It doesn’t matter what I am painting as long as my heart is there. It’s obvious when passion is the guiding force.

Leaving behind the urban style I once loved, I am currently enjoying using watercolor to explore themes of self through my subconscious. I draw inspiration from quiet moments in between, finding significance in the nuance. A slow commute to work gives me a moment to dive inwards, to hear myself. Even my nonsensical dreams guide me. I allow my mind to wander, to imagine. To limit my thoughts or put myself in a box would be a disservice to myself. In a world where it’s standard to capitalize on one skill and do that for the rest of your life, I want to do everything. We are all our own niche, and create through our own lens. Nobody else could do it the way that you do it. I don’t judge or discredit what my mind deems as significant. I listen, take notes, and explore what is wanting to be heard. I am not afraid to visit with my anger and sorrow.

I like the way that people underestimate watercolor. My professors discouraged me from pursuing watercolor and switching to oil. If you couldn’t tell already, my stubbornness is a disease and I’m happiest doing the exact opposite of what everyone tells me to do. I seek to create my own unique expression through the temperamental medium. Watercolor is unforgiving so there is no backtracking from serious mistakes. Contrasting our fast paced living, It forces me to slow down, to really look at my reference, and build up layers one by one. Analyzing my reference, I typically use at least eight to ten layers of color to match the true value. Glazing achieves a level of depth that feels like a breath of life. This process takes time, but it is a gift to watch the transformation and existence in every stage of the process. I’m not certain about much, but I know that painting is everything to me.