Artist Statement

 

As an artist I have been expanding my understanding of art and exploring a variety of materials from paint sticks and watercolor to wooden cabinets and rocks. My recent work has been a transformative, spiritual experience that has expanded my understanding of art. One thing that has always bothered me about Art Institutions is how extremely westernized everything is, whether it's in Museums, or Universities, everything is seen and experienced through the Westernized meaning and consideration of art. I have recently studied  African Art History and I was able to learn about art that wasn't westernized and pure to its cultural practices. While in this course I learned a new meaning of art and what can be considered such.

While exploring the meaning of art within these African countries I began to look at my own idea and meaning of art. For a while I've been feeling a little disconnected from my work and the process of making it. Everything has to have a purpose and explanation to be considered “good art” and that’s something that I personally disagreed with. While learning about these different cultural practices throughout Africa, one thing that I found to be common is their consideration of art. In many of these communities the process of making the objects and interacting with them was art. It was the act of making the masks and performing in them, the act of developing shrines and interacting with them that was the art, not the the mask and the shrines itself. it was the spiritual connections that would take place while making and using them. This is something that I incorporated into my own work.

My most recent work has been focused on the combination of Westernized art and African Art. I personally consider the process of my recent work to be spiritually transformative art that I experience while working in a similar to meditative state. It’s the experience of interacting with the materials and having that spiritual vibration that is the art. The art is the personal, intimate, vulnerable and unfathomable experiences I have while creating and the painting/drawing that remains is just a glimpse into my experience.

If any of may work resinates with you, feel free to reach out and tell me about it. I'll love to hear how you experience my work. 

If you'd like to inquire for a custom piece, feel free to contact me via email.