Statement

As a fine-art painter, there are tensions I always grapple with. Firstly, how do I honor the celebrated masters and revolutionary movements that came before me—substantial contributions to the field itself and many of my personal inspirations for becoming an artist—while also carving out a path for my own innovations and individuality? Second, how can my work interact with you, the viewers, in a way which conveys my invitation for you to approach my work and formulate your opinions of it, while also maintaining my convictions that shape my artistic identity and form an inimitable mystique that asserts ‘This is my work and can be no one else’s.’

These works are rooted in the theories of Abstract Expressionism: the mid-twentieth century movement which emphasized art’s ability to provide a window into the painter’s mindset. As I tried to untangle the tensions I discussed above, I felt this was a serendipitous way to explore my thoughts, while also experimenting with abstract art’s formal techniques and infinite range of colors. When looking at the finished product, it may be of interest for you to know that none of these paintings were preplanned. I began with a blank canvas and surrendered to the idea of ‘hand before thought,’ simply putting paint to canvas in a way which felt ‘right’ at the time. Only when I could sense the work was about halfway done, did I step back, evaluate the painting, and envision the finished product.

These paintings specifically reflect my love for Henri Matisse’s interplay of color and translucency, and the late (Bay Area local!) Richard Diebenkorn’s ability to create surface-level texture through brushstrokes and paint thickness, all while I still tried to chart my aesthetic path as an artist. And on a technical level, I experimented heavily with damar varnish, testing the levels of transparency and opaqueness, and matte and glossy finishes. Each painting also suggests demarcated segments by employing thicker lines or stark color contrasts, most overtly in Green Garland and Butterfly. This organization might seem odd for abstract art, but within each segment I believe you will be able to see the hurried, almost scribble-like brushstrokes that evoke the chaos reflected in my mind as the brush hit the canvas. Perhaps this is indicative of those tensions I will always live with: how to balance utilizing and forgoing artistic ‘rules,’ and how to welcome my audience into such a personal process.

I am thrilled you can view these works in person, and I invite you to explore your own impressions, in the same way I’ve just given you mine. Welcome and thank you for your time in reading my statement and viewing my work!