Artist Statement

Creating environments and glimpses of setting is a tool for me to connect concepts and stories to the audience. I feel that a sense of place is the most important aspect of a visual narrative. In following this idea, I authored and illustrated literary sketches through intaglio and silkscreen printmaking processes. It is my intention to involve scenic imagery or motifs, and the lack of, or very minor involvement of figures in my artwork to convey the accessibility of the audience to place themselves personally into the concept of the artwork. I explore an analysis of the contemporary socio-political landscape through the lense of a fantasy tale’s setting and imagery. The writing itself follows a narrator’s inner monologue about their war torn lands and how it came to be that way as an amplified commentary on issues and conflicts that our contemporary society struggles with. The rise of shrinking attention spans and dropping museum attendance is causing a disconnect from the long-standing spot for why culture needs art. I suspect that announcing the importance of culture has been lost in current generations. Human nature tends to follow a pattern of disconnect unless it is relevant to their own experiences. As someone raised in multicultural households, it feels as though too many people tend to watch the world pass by without any awareness of society as a whole when it comes to these cultural conflicts. The created work will cause an audience’s visceral or emotional response after they have viewed it. This world is our only one and we all share it; so if a large portion of the people are suffering, everyone should be witnessing and feeling the issue until it’s resolved.