Domesticated
I am frequently drawn to images of indoor house cats because of what they symbolize to me. As companions, they teach me about living mindfully, for they are fully engaged and surrendered to each moment. As domesticated animals limited to the confines of a house, I see their existence as a metaphor for consciousness seated within the confines of a physical body, constantly experiencing a range of thoughts and feelings. I observe that my own cat is content to be indoors, but she is fascinated by what she can sense through the window—her only connection to the outdoors. This tiny creature stirs many inspiring thoughts about my relationship with both my internal and external experiences. This series is a short love note to her and the impact she has had on my spiritual life and creative practice.
Let Go
"Let Go" is a series of collages created through an intentional act of surrender. Using a diverse array of materials, I enlist gravity as my collaborator—dropping cut elements onto a surface and gluing them down exactly where they land. By relinquishing control, I suspend my thoughts and conditioned habits, allowing surprising compositions to emerge. This process yields arrangements that challenge my expectations, often leading to captivating material interactions that bring new depth and complexity to the work. Much like life itself, this series explores the cycle of choice, chance, acceptance, and interpretation. Each viewer brings their own perspective, assigning meaning in the same way I do when stepping back from the work. I invite audiences to spend time with these pieces, asking themselves: What could it be? What could it mean to me?
Where I Live
"Where I Live" consists of 16 mixed media paintings on unstretched canvas, hung side by side in a 13'9” x 40' display. This installation was first exhibited at the Canzani Center in Columbus, OH in 2019. The individual paintings have since been displayed in multiple locations throughout Columbus, OH. The series presents layered imagery of spaces and objects inside the 550-square-foot apartment that I shared with my partner and our cat. Aspects of the apartment merge with creative manifestations of my mind through use of color, pattern, material, and perspective in the form of a large-scale, multi-panel painting. Abstracting these mundane aspects of my everyday life using paint and mixed media, I contend with our apartment as a holding space for both my body and my mind.