Statement

Artist Amy Sillman writes, “Unbecoming language. Painting that is writing that is gesture and shape; image that is word that is sound.” My approach to my art is resonant with this quote. I have synesthesia, a neurological condition in which stimulation of one sensory pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory pathway. The experience of color—influenced by what I see, hear, and feel—is transferred into my work.

Central to this exploration lies my material-based artistic practice and my experience with synesthesia. Working with acrylic, intensely pigmented paint allows me to capture the vibrant color relationships that emerge in my sensory perceptions, while collage techniques enable me to layer various textures and elements that reflect my cross-modal experiences.

In my current series, I use the quotidian construction material of painter’s tape and apply its masking quality as a method to obscure, delete, and redact layers. Masking, painting, and peeling create unexpected revelations, like in printmaking’s magic of pulling a print off a plate. Art emerges from this surrender, from allowing the paint to bleed under the edges, from accepting the imperfect. By interrupting traditional painting methods, I embrace unpredictability.

My artistic practice focuses on material exploration and process-driven discovery. Each creative decision arises from an intimate engagement with medium and method. This investigative approach parallels my experience of motherhood, as both areas demand an intuitive response to chaos and circumstance. It is within the mess that I discover beauty.