Beyond Simplicity 2022
Before I could paint this canvas, I spent hours ruminating on the concept. After stretching and framing this canvas by hand, I wanted my painting to reflect the craftsmanship I had put into the base. I kept telling myself, “Do something new, something fresh.” But nothing we do is “fresh” — everything comes from somewhere, including the bare minimum, achieved by Kazimir Malevich in 1915. Seen here is Malevich’s red square, just out of reach to the viewer, showing that we can no longer grasp the infamous nature of what has been done before.
Real Live girl 2022
This screen print explores the difference between fantasy and reality. I hand-printed these four-color, five-screen prints by tiling screens and transparency paper. I later displayed this piece at the Clark Center in Arroyo Grande.
I screen printed each of these posters by hand. See the process HERE.
City posters 2022
A collection of cities that have inspired me. I designed these posters to reflect the well-known and maybe not-so-well-known aspects of Boise, where I lived after college, Seattle, where I visited in college with my art department, and Sacramento, where I was born. I utilized known landmarks in each city — the Tower Bridge in Sac, the Space Needle in Seattle, and the Train Depot in Boise. For the text, I used the catchphrases commonly associated with each city, and wrote my own descriptions, reflecting my view as both an insider and outsider in each location.
I screen printed each of these posters by hand. See the process HERE.
They were later displayed at the Clark Center in Arroyo Grande in early 2024.
Memoir 2022
I created these cyanotypes using my own photography from various locations and moments in my life. Intentionally using soft, wispy brush strokes to layout the cyanotype solution, I designed these pieces to evoke nostalgia. I wanted these pieces to reflect the intangibility of memories, as if the photos were ripped from a forgotten book.
Lilly, are you happy? 2020
I wanted this portrait to uniquely reflect the challenges of college during the COVID-19 pandemic. My sister Lilly graduated during the pandemic. As a music major, she missed out on performances, conducting opportunities and other events that could've impacted her future.
Around the time I was conceptualizing this piece, I heard the song “Lilly (Are You Happy)” by Hall and Oates, and considering the title is spelled the same as my sister’s name, I used it as a title to reflect my sister’s struggles during the pandemic.
I based this portrait on a photo I captured of my sister. I then layered masking tape on a piece of glass, and lit the pane from behind to expose the different values created by the tape. This piece earned me the 2021 Most Creative Medium Award from Northwest Nazarene University.
Nearly there 2020
This is George — a life-sized man made from one continuous piece of wire.
George was the result of a lot of pent up emotions in 2020. At the time, I was attending school remotely from California during the pandemic. As someone who intentionally attended school out of state as a way to really experience life on my own, this period of time felt like an exile back to childhood — and attempting to succeed in visual arts in a remote environment contributed even further to my frustration. I felt like a nuclear reactor, firing off and burning hot but never getting anywhere.
After grappling for a final sculpture project idea for months, I settled on George within the final hours I had before my deadline. I channeled all my pent up energy into this project, working for seven hours straight until he was complete.
