I’m a very hands-on person, so I enjoy working with materials that I can touch and manipulate. Texture is a huge part of why I make artwork in the first place. There’s something about creating a surface that you can run your hand over – a rough surface like wood, something soft like fabrics or dried clay, different layers of paint on a canvas, or something unexpected like a drawing that looks to have texture but is smooth. Working with these different textures lets me build emotions into the artwork in a way that feels honest to who I am.

 

A lot of my artwork is based on imagery from nature, particularly flowers and insects. I’ve always been fascinated by the small details in petals and wings and stems. They seem very fragile, but also very powerful, and I enjoy using them as a way to symbolize aspects of my own life. When I draw a flower, I think of it as a memory that I’ve grown from, and the insects are the small forces in life that keep me going. It’s my way of taking something from my own life and creating a visual symbol that feels true.

 

I’m still trying to develop my style, because I’m still learning and exploring what materials feel natural in my hands. I want to create artworks that I feel happy with while making them, I also don’t want my style to look too similar to other artists around me. I want to create a style that feels the most like me, while looking unique and different from others. I’m learning to go with the ideas that fit with my works and trusting that eventually they will guide me to the style that feels the most like my own.

 

My artwork is essentially a means for me to investigate who I am and how I perceive the world through nature. The textures I create, the flowers and insects I draw, and the styles I attempt all combine to convey elements of my personal story. I hope that when people view my artwork, they are able to sense the combination of emotions, curiosity, and physicality that I am trying to convey.