I make colorful abstract oil paintings. The paintings vary in size from the very large (60×48 in.) to the very small (8x10in.) They contain funny and awkward shapes that interact with one another in various ways. One shape may lay atop another while another fades into the one below it. Sometimes, two shapes appear as though they’re about to meet but never touch. The shapes become characters that exist in a world and logic of their own. Like a cartoon or children’s book, each painting tells a story. 

My creative process prioritizes intuition, play, and the physicality of oil paint. I listen to music while pulling, scraping, and sliding paint across the canvas. Varying surface treatments and textures enhance the persona of each painted shape. Layers of crusted paint and debris narrate the history and process of each painting. Ultimately, I use the painting process to examine my sense of humor. The finished paintings are alter egos of my shy self. 

• 2023 MFA THESIS | PART I