Artist Statement
My creative practice is centered on unpacking symbols. A symbol has the unique role of both abbreviating a complex subject while also containing its entire history. It is both a fragment and the whole; frozen and living all at the same time. This dynamic quality inspires me to “unpack” or repurpose symbols through techniques that encourage new contexts or narratives for otherwise familiar iconography.
My methods include superimposing unlikely images in both graphic or painterly methods; using digital media to collage, duplicate or illustrate new compositions; or animating elements to form “living symbols,” a newer territory in my work. Often, these reconfigurations contain a gestural energy that is noticeably locked in place either by the edge of the canvas, by silhouette or by some other intended shape or space, much like how symbols themselves have a definable form.
This process also allows me to delve into subjects I’m passionate about including science, nature, gender, sexuality and spirituality. Their symbolic legacies have had such important social and political impacts, yet they are often siloed into their own corners of history. Finding connections and overlaps among them motivates my ongoing practice.
