Artist Statement

Growing up, I would strive to convey the beauty in my mind through one single sheet of paper at a time. Even now, my parents continue to remind me of how I would throw my crayons in frustration. My earliest memories include the rage that would engulf me after I had snapped yet another crayon from gripping it too tightly in an effort to counteract the shakiness of my young hands. I remember the blisters I would get from drawing, day after day. Even now, this remains my struggle; I want to showcase beauty, love, and classicality, and display my ever-burning affection for the works of the artists who have come before me. 

When I look at a person, I see a life, a heart, unlike any other. Each individual I draw has known trauma, growth, fulfillment, companionship, sexuality, identity, humor, and love in their own way. This is precisely why I will never love another subject more. If I can portray someone in a way that they identify with, then I consider that a massive victory, and a cause for celebration. I want the places where the paper shows through to be their soul, and the shadows that I sculpt across them to bear their memories. And though I can’t control my audience’s response, I yearn for my passion to reverberate through them like earthquakes. Determined to flourish in any environment, I’ve widened my horizons, and I now gain momentum and energy from my works that focus on true naturalism and technical principles. This expansion has served me well, and I’ve developed new techniques and understandings from these pursuits that help me to sink my teeth even deeper into the core of a person through my art.

What gives me the most visual inspiration out of any subject in this world is the human form. It is something I obsess over, and I strive to honor it in every depiction. Using charcoal, I chase after a fuller understanding of light and shadow, and how they fall across the figure. To me, no other subject matter is capable of containing quite as much information and energy. Drawing a person is drawing a moment; it is bottling up their persona.  

Art is my way of exploring, appreciating, and taking hold of the world around me. It is my struggle and my passion, and I am always fighting to stay authentic to myself and what I adore.