My Artist Statement

I forgot to post this before class-

I make paintings about the nostalgia I feel towards my home region of Florida and my relationships by using imagery of nature, and my friends interacting within nature. When I moved to Memphis I immediately found a new appreciation for my home. I began to romanticize my memories and so I began making art focusing on my skewed recollections. By using personal photos I have a tangible reference to start from, and by abstracting the imagery I make the pieces less specific, and therefore more relatable to others beside myself. I do however leave clues of the original occasion so that they are not only recognizable to me, but the friends involved. I simplify the color palette to help exaggerate elements of the composition and to reflect how some detail are lost in memory.

I use many different techniques as each one allows me to emphasize different aspects of my work. Oil painting permits editing, texture and immediacy, while the edition of embroidery makes the work more precious and personal. Watercolor represents memory well in the way the colors can bleed together, altering the image. Printmaking and papermaking are methodical, I feel as though I create a believable falsity based off reality because of how authentic these works appear.

I work with very personal subject matter but I strive to represent it in a way that can appeal to many viewers who can find something in the works that cause them to reminisce on their own experiences. I do this through differing amounts of abstraction, an appealing color palette and by making the works an accessible size so as to not overwhelm. My location dictates my comfort, and so I represent that which I find the most reassurance in.