Artist Statement
Speaking about mental health and emotional states is considered more acceptable in today's climate than in previous decades. However, I find myself questioning how current societal norms have created new, unrealistic expectations that have subsequently caused a repression of emotions. Through my work, I explore these negative states of thought and how they are a product of repression.
My primary medium is oil and acrylic paint. Through painting, I document a catharsis of raw emotion translated into a visual language. I utilize a gestural technique to create introspective self-portraits that offer a personal perspective on the relationship between authenticity and morality. I pay close attention to rendering skin tones and how color combinations can invoke the audience's emotional responses. I am less concerned with accurately depicting realism and focus on manipulating the figure within the psychological space conceptually.
The figures in my work are composed of a bruised color palate that alludes to the wounded human psyche when faced with trauma. I use facial expressions as a vehicle for exploring the figure's internal dilemmas. Each piece offers an ambiguous narrative open to interpretation by the audience, allowing them to become part of a psychological investigation.