While simultaneously established in and slightly detached from reality, my paintings and sculptural works examine a variety of themes including excess, decadence, death and everyday life. Inspiration is found in fashion houses such as the dark and theatrical Alexander McQueen and the outlandish hipster meets sci-fi work of recent Gucci. Unfolding over the last couple years, I have also been influenced by the narrative stylizations of early Renaissance and Flemish paintings as well as classical baroque elegancies. My view of representational work does not come from life, but more so gravitates towards it. Although my main focus was in painting as an undergraduate, I have been working with ceramics and installation for about 2 years now. Once I discovered the potential in sculpting figures out of clay nearly on a whim, I haven’t really stopped. With aesthetic inspiration pulled mostly from traditional European styles, there is a recognizable feel to it due to the characteristics of the historical sources. I’m also interested in moments of mid-gesture. Seen in image one, I aimed to create a feeling of movement. With wide open mouths, both heads look as if they in mid-moan or song. There is an expression of ecstasy, pain and/or trance in their heavy eyes and a twist in their necks. I began a focus on the more classical methods of bust sculpting and then moved on by adding an abundance of embellishments seen in the long ponytails made of colorful weaved materials, fabric trimming, synthetic hair and giant ceramic, resin, and wooden beads. Through a mix of a diverse and often problematic array of materials within painting and sculpture, my aim was to represent human complexity and loose narrations.
All things possible at all times. I build up layer upon layer of different patterns, textures, and specific color combinations to find my own language. Invention takes form through the merging of oil paint with ceramics and faux hair with fabric and carved wood. not only is there a collision of materials and overlapping patterns but also one of realities and reinventions, also seen the flamboyant, totemic sculptures in image 2. I create these loose narratives both in my sculptural work as well as my paintings. My current series of wood panel paintings are set within the silhouettes of chairs, plants and other commonplace ornaments. Through these silhouettes, I reveal playful gestures leaning towards significant action, and the curious residue of everyday life. There is a dreamlike quality felt within the multitude of interactive figures planted in the disorienting compressions of space, leaving the viewer searching for clues while sorting through the evidence. This current work should be both alien and relatable to the viewer simultaneously. During the next 3 years, I will work to create a more unified body of work between my painting and sculpture. It should not only feed off one another but also create and sort of push pull effect. Through research, working in my studio and creating dialog with my colleages, I hope to hone in on my ideas and abilities both aesthetically and conceptually.
