"The paintings I create are a vibrant translation of my world... an opportunity to capture a moment in time and share it with others."
Inspiration starts for me through the lens of my camera. Whether I take a quick photo when I’m out and about in the world, or I painstakingly construct the scene… it all begins as a photograph. In that moment, I’m already making decisions about the balance of the composition, of light and shadow… all which will eventually be translated on the other side of my paintbrush.
My work tells personal stories from my life, incorporating symbolism through my choices in subject and even the colors I choose. Nothing in my paintings is by accident, it’s all meant to hopefully make other people stop and notice the details of seemingly ordinary objects. I hope to evoke emotion in a technically lifeless scene.
In my current body of work, I’m most inspired by using toys from my childhood as symbols to talk about my experiences as a trans person. As a child, it was through playing pretend that I was able to feel something closer to the boy I so desperately wanted to become. Through my paintings, I aim to create a discussion and visibility for the LGBTQ+ experience. I feel the paintings I create are a vibrant translation of my world... an opportunity to capture a moment in time and share it with others. I hope to express personal stories of love, joy, and loss… the struggles and celebrations of life that everyone can understand.