Observations
Observation is where my work begins. As I move through the world with a camera, I collect images of ordinary people. Fragments of light, shadow, and gesture are later arranged into compositions that feel alive. This process has grown increasingly liberated, as I translate my ideas into rougher, more confident marks in acrylic and charcoal. Drawn to the rawness of the everyday, where fleeting details offer glimpses of what feels the most human, I wanted to explore the way the light slips across a face, or how color lingers on fabric is central to my compositions. Inspired by artists I revere, the first painting is a reference to Christina’s World, as I invite the viewer to step into my world. Creatures pays homage to Millais’s Ophelia, while I took inspiration from Sargent’s rough strokes and masterful observations for all the paintings. These paintings live in the balance between the real and the imagined, at the beating pulse of my work where observation gives way to transformation.
My World. 2023. Acrylic on canvas. 16 x 20
Inspired by Wyeth’s Christina’s World, this piece invites viewers into my world. The ice cream truck stands as both a playful symbol and a distant goal, desirable, yet just out of reach. The steep diagonal lines create tension and motion, while the stormy palette reflects the arduous journey toward fulfillment.
Daydreaming. 2023. Acrylic on canvas. 16 x 20
In the quiet moments before the game begins, anticipation hums beneath the surface. The boys in the dugout wait, coiled like springs ready to burst into action. Framed by the fence and surrounding structures, they are held in place as their world is washed in soft blues that speak of hope and possibility.
Mirror. 2023. Acrylic on canvas. 16 x 20
The searing, critical gaze of an elderly couple falls upon you. Here, the viewer becomes the subject: the exhibit under scrutiny. This mirror of judgment asks for self-reflection. The soft diagonals in the background balance the scene’s tension, while the red dress represents a confrontation made visible.
In transit. 2025. Acrylic on canvas. 24 x 30
Strangers. Old area codes. Longing.
Along a journey toward understanding myself, I explore the absurdity of existence. My direct gaze confronts the viewer, forcing a reflection on uncomfortable truths that connect us all.
Eden. 2024. Acrylic on canvas. 10 x 20
An otherwise perfect day, interrupted by snakes. As symbols of rebirth and renewal, the snakes serve as guides in the process of reinvention. Their quiet presence creeps into an otherwise serene scene, embodying the inevitability of change even in moments of calm.
In dreams. 2025. Charcoal on Bristol.
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Cross-hatched charcoal textures and layered fabrics create a tactile landscape of calm. Yet even in this moment of stillness, peace is fragile, haunted by visions of both memory and the uncertainty of what lies ahead.
Waxing, waning. 2024. Acrylic on canvas. 10 x 20
Taken from a series of photographs captured on a swing, this work encapsulates the frantic search for direction. From left to right, faces fade in and out with the most detailed figure being the most expressive. As the phases of the moon shift, so too do moments of clarity and confusion, charting an emotional cycle of becoming.
Spiraling. 2025. Charcoal on Bristol.
In every pursuit, there comes a point of self-judgment and doubt. I become “Big Brother,” the inner critic watching every move. The recurring eyeglass motif magnifies this scrutiny, while the smaller, shadowed figures grow increasingly entrapped, mirroring the cycle of internal surveillance and self-doubt.
Freedom!. 2025. Acrylic on canvas. 18 x 24
On the far side of the hill, a new sense of joy and freedom emerges. Lingering eyes remain in the distance, but the dark clouds have lifted. Loose, confident strokes echo a renewed sense of self, the culmination of a journey toward clarity and release mirroring the person I have now become.