With & Without

With & Without

Color and pattern are a device I use for coping with anxiety within my mixed media works. The physical act of making functions as a cathartic release. I approach the idea of painting in a very broad sense and consider any mark making material as an extension to traditional painting. My work draws inspiration from the Pattern and Decoration movement, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s theory of Flow, Kitsch, and popular culture. My current body of work implements bright color combinations inspired by the overly saturated internet. Bringing the color and elements from the digital world into the physical realm gives me a sense of control and enables me to contribute to a visual conversation.

When designing motifs, I draw from imagery seen in textile patterns, embroidery stitches, biology, and language. Verbal language is often insufficient in expressing my physical experiences alone, but by implementing a visual code in combination with words I create my own visual language to impart visceral feelings.

Although the work is rooted in my own experience with anxiety, autism and gender it can speak to various audiences through the relatable use of colors, whimsical patterns and shapes. Ultimately, I make work because it brings me joy, which is an act of rebellion in our current social climate and it is my hope that it can temporarily relieve the viewer from the day-to-day stresses and anxieties of contemporary life.

Gouache and spray paint on laser-cut hardboard

Two 5 x 7 inch wall pieces