artist's statement:
I have painted for over 12 years. However, in the last five years my work has become politically and socially charged. I have worked with a variety of mediums but have found that painting allows me to take full advantage of my expressive nature in order to create a form of 'visual documentation' of the degradation I observe.

I use a variety of mediums when I paint. The paint itself is the foundation, but I find that experimentation with other materials is very intriguing in that it can result in the creation of unique images. Due to this I have had to throw much of what I learned in college aside. I've never been one to follow.

I originally worked in a more traditional manner. However, after years of artistic practice I came to view it as superficial. I observed it as being just as superficial as the media bombardment we are hit with everyday- a cruel shell that protects us from the issues we, as a society, should be facing. Thus, I am interested with what can be revealed 'under the surface' of the human condition. I do not wish to further the outward lies that are propagated by the 'perfect image'.

My art is focused on the degradation and injustice that I find within the context of our society. I capture the essence of loss, betrayal, racism, humility, and pain through the use of broken line and crude marks- broken figures that stem from our collective psyche. Thus, my work is not perfect because we do not live in a perfect world and the majority of us are not very stable (even if we hide those flaws behind jagged little pills). My art is a warning and a call for change- the realization of a world that hides behind outward appearance to appear more truthful.

I want my work to open the eyes of the viewer to issues such as child abuse and neglect. The advocation for the protection of children at all stages of life is of great importance to me. I also focus on crimes against women. It bothers me that so many women are subjected to abuse by their male counterparts. These two issues have become an ongoing theme within the context of my art.