Artist Statement
This collection of my work is my own reflection on experiences with grief and the many different ways I perceive these processes we can all go through. In particular, most of the basis for my work stems from the loss of my father at age 10, since this period of my life grief has had a very active role in shaping who I am, for better or for worse. Being able to work through and overcome difficult emotions is crucial for developing as a person, I almost lost myself many times. I want to tell my own story in hopes of connecting with others who have experienced the same pain, and let them know that it only makes them stronger. After seeing my work I hope that people will come away knowing that grief is not a burden, but a journey. Despite the objects or people lost, letting your spirit break is not a viable choice.
In my process, I prefer to communicate my images through self-created characters who can tell my story. Texture and intricate environments are a large part of my work, the more detailed a piece is the more lucid it becomes. My love of color and precision comes through in process and media choices. The materials that I consistently use are; ink, pen, watercolor, gouache, pastel, and marker.
