Artist Statement
Artistic expression and exploration with materials drives my work and provides a means and context for introspection. Concepts associated with memory and interpersonal relationships, as well as the connection between the mind and body inspire my current practices. The paintings stem from honest considerations of my role in society as a Southern woman who is challenging generational cycles. I explore femininity, societal pressures, cultural norms, and my subjective experiences with barriers and judgments. Recent artworks juxtapose improvisation and intentionality as I continuously react and respond to the painted surface. Impulsive mark-making paired with chaotic and ordered gestures reflect irrational and calculated thoughts. Painting on an unstretched canvas grants me the agency to work in and around my composition; sewing and gluing collaged elements allows me to incorporate fragments of my past into my present. I appreciate the freedom in making the work as well as coming to terms with my innermost thoughts and feelings.
"If I could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint.”