Committed to the idea of art as therapy for both the creator and viewer, I use printmaking, mixed-media painting, drawing, and video to cope with and depict my experience living with anxiety. The main goal of my practice is to unpack, normalize, and advocate for mental health issues with compassion, humor, and whimsy. My hope is that others can identify with and gain a sense of relief from my body of work. 

My current practice balances two divergent processes—detailed-oriented, meditative repetition and loose, adaptable intuition. On the one hand, I allow moments of intuitive expression to dictate the forms, movement, and overall composition of my work. I apply acrylic paint onto salvaged plywood in a process of gestural strokes and poured latex acrylic. The paint’s flow and viscosity becomes an organic, uncontrollable part of the process. As the paint spreads, pools, drips, dries, and sometimes cracks in hot environments, I see forms and creatures emerge.  In those moments I can trust my intuition, remain presently aware of the unpredictable nature of my thoughts, and adjust to new perceptions moment by moment. On the other hand,  I crave the repetitive, sequential structure I get from the process of inking lines on a two-point perspective grid that is drawn on the dried paint. I use the grid in order to make my artistic decisions in advance, so the only task is to sit down, dip into ink, and draw lines. My repetitive practice of drawing with pen and ink empowers me to develop each piece line by line and breath by breath. The daily ritual of focusing narrowly on the next line allows me to control what I can control and appreciate the little things that are certain.

Upcycling discarded objects is also a central part of my practice—I treat every material and object with respect, honoring the life it has lived and the history of its presence. As a result of this respect, I upcycle discarded wood, styrofoam, and unrecyclable plastic sourced from the local community in which I am working, refurbishing refuse and imbuing the objects with a new, bright future.

The balance of these practices enables me to ground myself and my work in the present moment—and this is what draws me to the studio and holds me there. I hope my art brings a perspective to anxiety and mental health that inspires viewers to connect with themselves, with each other, and with the present moment—generating possibilities for hope and solace.