* All images used with permission. Please do not distribute without first contacting the artist.
I have had a long-standing interest in Mexican motifs, Indian miniature painting, textile designs, and graphic patterns. My work has been increasingly informed by graphic media and design and reflects an ever-growing contrast between both the organic and the geometric. The geometric patterns have contributed to an increasingly flattened plane as seen in my most recent piece Shroomdiety. There is a dynamic visual balance between boldly colored patterns used for the butterflies and dress of the female figure, with the curved lines of the grass, mushrooms, and the roughly rendered fur of the monkeys. The blending of both organic and geometric design contributes to attempt to harmonize these elements within my work.
Shroomdiety is one of a series of works that depicts what I refer to as euphoric jungles. The jungle here is not dangerous, but is instead a conduit for the imagination. I consistently depict images of brightly colored mushrooms, butterflies, and snails that coexist in landscapes that seem to be the product of a fantastical daydream. These landscapes are meant to entice the viewer into a world that transcends the canvas and enters into the realm of the viewer.
What is integral to these environments and to the core of my practice is the female subject. In many cases the presence of the female figure evokes a sense of calm and serenity to the scene. These women represent to me ethereal gypsies or bohemians that often engage in simple activities like playing musical instruments, playing records or sewing. Although these activities are seemingly mundane, these women take pride in their work, and it is intended that the inner serenity they possess will translate into the viewer’s experience of the my art. The attempt here is to present an environment that will visually stimulate and excite the viewer while simultaneously sending them into a meditative state of tranquility once their eyes rest on the central female figure.
