About the Artist

     I am interested in the simultaneous fetishization and disposability of nature. My work depicts nature's “pests,” such as pigeons and raccoons staking their own claim to altered environments. In the piece Pigeons and Hipsters, the two subjects share and exploit the crowded urban cityscape. They are both equally the result of their environment. I enjoy creating specific instances when human paths cross with those of animals. Wildlife struggles as their habitats are bombarded by plastics, rusting metals and cracking concrete. My landscapes yearn to be explored and plundered fervently. I paint beautiful trash and hideous flowers in an attempt to blur our assigned values of each. I play with the idea of the total desecration of the natural world and invite the viewer to draw parallels between my environments and theirs. My work explores environmental problems we face such as pollution, overpopulation, and climate change. In my painting End Game Loot for the Juncos, I examine the Dark-eyed Junco, a common bird of North America. This bird species is primarily migratory, yet a large flock defied norms and seized permanent residency at UC San Diego during the mid-1980’s. The Juncos are able to thrive due to the abundance of food and human spoilage scattered throughout the campus.  The abundance of food, in turn, allows them to produce more young and live longer.

​     The inspiration for my work is born from my travels to new places. I integrate visited large densely populated cities because I am always amazed at how despite cities' attempts to suppress the natural world, plant and animal invaders abound. I often incorporate birds into my works, as they are one of the few large wild animal groups that can adapt fast enough to survive the drastic changes humans make to their natural environments. Birds are aided by mini environments such as backyards and garbage dumps. Bird experts and naturalists further inform my explorations. When I work I deconstruct these experiences. Doing this allows me to reflect on my own personal connection with nature as well as my impact on the environment. I think about my own consuming and caring for the natural world around me.

     My main focus is in drawing and painting. I utilize their history of storytelling and their capacity to engage with narrative. I specifically use dramatic lighting, loose brush strokes, and stark flat planes keeping the viewer interested in not only the subject matter but also the material. An incorporation of organic and inorganic shapes and brush strokes create the illusion of order and chaos within the pieces. These material objects demand focus and labor which refreshingly contrasts an era consumed with instant gratification.