There is a deep desire in us as humans to feel understood, to have our souls nourished and loved. Yet we have progressively isolated ourselves--from nature, from one another, even our own inner beings. We create noise. We seek to be individuals, to be independent, to be in control. We have lost our sense of interconnectedness with one another and with the Earth. We have forgotten that we are not separate entities, that the well-being of others is our own.

My work explores images and ideas that express our connection to the universe and to ourselves; an existence that is full of both wonder and struggle. My drawings usually begin by ‘painting’ with hair-like algae, an intuitive process that allows me to connect with my subconscious, like one might find images in clouds. Muddy shapes gradually evolve into recognizable forms. Gentle lines and colors give an initial feeling of warmth and familiarity, often bringing to mind illustrations from old children’s books. An ambiguous narrative is created. The ambiguity challenges our immediate perceptions-- are these beasts & plants consuming/strangling or embracing/nurturing? A reminder that we rarely know the complication of one’s story; it is a request for deeper understanding. I primarily use pencil, watercolor and gouache, but also use a variety of non-traditional & found materials. Through the ambivalence of these images, my work addresses our emotional and physical beings, as well as the coexistence of the grotesque, the beautiful & the fantastical.