Statement

Exploring the transient, fragile nature of the human experience, my work focuses on the cycle of life and death as an integrally tied aspect of our relationship with nature. Subjects are often depicted in vulnerable positions with faces obscured, surrounded by plants and leaves, or ambiguous forms. Erosion and decay encroach on figure and ground, referencing the inevitable passage of time and the liminal state before regeneration begins. The plants, leaves, and vines are intended to read as a marked cadence of slow growth that will render the subjects increasingly entombed as time wears on.  Nature is employed as a variable entity that overwhelms – a metaphor to the frenzied forces of modern, social life. As the figures seem unaware of the impending intrusion of plant life and its inevitable ensnarement, a parallel may be drawn to the slow, but steady toll taken from living in a morally challenging and psychologically draining technological world.

I am most drawn to working with oil paintings and copper etchings. Both mediums are heavily tied to time and lack the ability to easily erase marks. My oil paintings are large scale, often containing life-size figures. I build up the imagery through glazing thin layers of translucent paint over a long period of time. By using translucent pigments, the paintings keep a record of each mark and alteration as a reference to the actual time spent on the painting as well as the fictional passage of time within the imagery. My etchings share similar ideas but are small in scale. They explore erosion over time through their method of creation. I use a traditional hard ground which is rolled on very thinly; it is easy to draw through and allows for a high level of detail, but it is also susceptible to breaking down in the etching bath or “foul biting.” This can be controlled through careful monitoring, but I choose to relinquish some control and let the unexpected marks become part of the work.