Artist Statement
Art is the greatest way of expression and allows me to speak without words. My capstone body of work includes both my acrylic nonobjective paintings and my realistic graphite portraits. These are process-oriented pieces, and the surface on my paintings and drawings, though very drastic, holds significant importance to me.
In my graphite drawings, I focus on representing external depictions of reality. The graphite portraits accurately capture a specific moment in time and illustrate the progression of age and life through the detailed texture of the skin. Through my research and interest in color field painting, as well as historical inspiration, I dove into working with nonobjective art even though it was out of my comfort zone. In contrast to the portraits, my nonobjective paintings are fluid expressions of [my] internal reality; interpreting the unseen. The surface is a physical texture with varied depth. In these paintings, I focus on translating my thoughts and emotions into color and rhythm. The textured surface is a culmination of a multi-layered process of painting with transparent acrylic over sheets of glass and plexiglass. The cutout latex shapes strategically placed over the paintings serve as a place to offer the eyes rest. These ‘moments’ symbolize the structure and order within the mind while everything else roams in beautiful chaos within.
The vastly different direction I took with my paintings and drawings speak clearly to the two different ways I understand and visualize the world. During my journey at Anderson University, I learned that I need to have space where I can exert control over my craft, as well as a place where I could let loose and be expressive without following any rules or expectations. Being able to work concurrently in these two different styles allows me to be open to experimentation and opportunities that help me grow my skill set and evolve as an artist.
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