“Working in oil, mostly, with large scale canvases and a three color palette, I weaponize a single color to my creative advantage: yellow. Moving through my practice, academically, has significantly altered the way I see the world and my work. I now aim to harvest from my personal connections and create with purpose and intent; to be direct and confrontational with myself.

I use yellow like a highlighter. Yellow represents many things: warmth, wealth and positivity, but it also beautifully serves as a spotlight. Through portraiture I can utilize yellow as to highlight the significant forms and tell a story. Black and white aids to isolate the primary color and bring it to the forefront.

The origin of yellow in the context of my work comes directly from the smiley face. The smiley face took the form of the “happy helmet” initially but, in an effort to obscure its specificity, I removed the smile first and then its form. Occasionally, the smiley will appear in my work, but as a small treat for close-lookers.

In all, my goal as an oil painter is to make use of liminal spaces to dissociate the subjects from their environment and create a story through color. Minimalism, surrealism, and brutalism are movements I typically draw from and certainly inspire me to be more imaginative while still keeping my conciseness.

With that being said, I want to use my craft as a voice to bring together my community. I want my work be positive, something we can look to for a smile.”