Statement for Ceramic Works:

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My favorite part about being a creator is that I am constantly learning. Learning how to be successful, learning how to grow from my failures, learning how to stay motivated when good ideas cease to exist, learning to be aware of what inspires me, learning what makes me who I am as an artist. I have spent most of my artistic career learning, unlearning and relearning.

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As a ceramicist, a majority of my work is made using a combination of throwing and hand building techniques within a single form. By practicing these techniques I learn how to expand my scale and elevate the formal qualities of my work. As a painter, color and texture has always been where I placed the most emphasis. These qualities are recast into my ceramic wares through the use of various colorants and surface qualities. The aesthetic details of my work are driven by personal experiences and a need to challenge abstraction. While exploring my own experiences through clay, my intention is to translate an intangible emotion into a three dimensional, functional object.

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Because I am still learning, I treat many of my pieces as studies. When asked about the reasoning behind certain characteristics of my work, my answer is often times “I don’t know, I just did it.” This answer is intentional. It is not arrogant or lazy, it is the way in which I work. I’m not sure what I’m doing; therefore, I’m figuring it out. I used to be afraid to answer in this way. I thought that it would make me seem inexperienced, but it is my reality. I am still learning.

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Statement for Painted Works:

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I see art purely as a form of expression and believe that it can be found in any form. It could be a work that I’ve spent months completing or, it could be as simple as the doodles my mom used to leave on the note she put in my lunchbox as a kid. I think that art affects everyone, whether they choose to acknowledge it or not. My works are greatly influenced by personal experiences and childhood memories, as well as, inspired by my loved ones. I strive to create pieces that my viewers can relate to.

I work mostly with oil paints and tend to stay in the realm of realism when it comes to my own personal style. However, I have always been jealous of abstract artists and the way that they find perfection in the imperfections of their work. I enjoy working with a variety of media. The art world is constantly changing and I am always searching for ways to adapt and grow with it.

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