Artists Statement: Art is an exploration of myself outside of others’ expectations and opinions of me. It is how I communicate my inner turmoil and resolve to the world. I also think of my work as a crossroads, intersecting my past experiences with the impressions of my present.

I paint many faces with big cheeks, large, cartoonish eyes, and wide-open mouths with menacing teeth. I find comfort in these faces because they represent what people are like on the inside. They mirror drawings that I made as a kid, where everything was cartoonish and didn't make sense. These faces allow viewers to tap into their inner child and see all the beauty and absurdity within human existence. I paint these figures packed into tight spaces and blended in together. These images relate to when I was younger, when I always tried to blend in but never did. I was always a little off. I was either too young or too old, too quiet or too rambunctious. I didn't learn to appreciate my uniqueness until I attended my first concert. Stuck in a mosh pit, I was no longer an individual. I was just another cog in the machine, and the feeling fulfilled me. My paintings express these dual imperatives—the need to blend in while standing out and apart. Lately, I have been exploring the idea of the playground, A setting from my childhood in which my experience of loneliness and isolation contrasted with the expected feeling of joy when going outside for recess. This feeling of loneliness follows me throughout my life; no matter how much I grow, I still feel like the kid sitting alone at recess. 

My art also explores the themes of explosivity and recklessness, echoing how I create them. I work impulsively to create abstract compositions that combine bold colors and dynamic marks. It's often fast-paced and erratic, preferring bold statements over subtle minutiae.