If we have destroyed our relationship to nature, we have altered our relationship to ourselves. There is no separation between prescribed nature and our own beings. “Whatever he does to the web of life, he does to himself”- Joseph Campbell
Statement
It is my role as an artist to mythologize nature; with my portraits of flora and fauna, I create archetypical symbols that are meant to inspire reverie. As nature becomes extinct, my portraits serve as placeholders, much like headstones. Cast onto ambiguous spaces, my backgrounds are layered with photocopies, transfers, prints and washes; my subjects of nature are depicted in peril, displaced from the world. I feel a personal bond to the nature that arrives in my work. Each subject mirrors my evolution in which there are various moments of decay, suffering and awe. With each piece, I rebuild a personal connection to nature and, thus, to myself. By rebuilding context, I can begin to understand where nature belongs in my life.
Biography
I define myself as a painter although I make work that utilizes the mixed media of paper and drawing. I make work that is currently about Natures’ ability to evolve in a man-made world, with an emphasis on creating a beautiful and palatable aesthetic. I was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I received a BFA from the College of Santa Fe. I currently show and work in Portland, OR.