What do you aim to say by the themes in your art?

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I love to create visual metaphors and find new ways to translate old ideas and beliefs. I believe art can be a mirror that helps us relate to ourselves and each other as well as the world around us. I also find myself frequently poking at the common fears and phobias that people have, because facing what you’re afraid of and analyzing those ideas can teach a person a lot about themselves and can sometimes release the grip of those constraints.

Where does your inspiration come from?

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I’ve always been fascinated by the potential for change in life. It is constant, whether we resist it or embrace it. I dabble in many mediums and love to incorporate found objects and give new life to broken or discarded things by altering them into something new that can be considered art. For me, it is a way to stay in touch with the beauty of life that surrounds us and the cycles we circle in. It helps me to keep my mind open to the potential change in everything. I also love the juxtaposition of opposites or the anomalies in a theme that spark attention. I collect music boxes because I think they are tiny pieces of magic. If I can incorporate a music box into a piece to enhance its overall meaning, I will.

Do you have any experiences that have impacted your art?

 

I suppose art is a way to work through any emotion for me, but I feel as if that question should be reversed. The art I create is a tool that impacts my life and reshapes my experiences. Or perhaps, they both ricochet between each other. Art has been an integral part of my existence for as long as I remember, but it has had the most notable impact on my life as a tool for personal healing and growth. Tapping into my creativity has been a great facilitator for transmuting pain, healing grief, and expressing emotions that can sometimes have a hidden voice.

Do you feel your art challenges existing barriers?

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I believe all art has the potential to challenge barriers between us, and my own art can be
interpreted in that realm as well. Art forms a language of its own that reaches inside and finds emotions without the need to go through the layers of logic first. It has the ability to create a bridge between each person, where we can relate through perception and find common ground to understand each other just a little better. The artists who create can share their unique perspectives and spark connections through conversation- where each of us can get a glimpse of the world through another person’s eyes. Art is a facilitator of communication, it allows all of us to understand ourselves and the world just a little bit more.

 What are your long-term artistic goals?

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I want to spend every day feeling as if I have been immersed in art- both as a person who creates art, and as one who witnesses the art inherent in the world. I would love to fortify the courage in myself to shamelessly share the things I create with no hesitation, to connect with people through the ideas I present or the emotions that flow through me. Not necessarily for fame or the validation of artistic accomplishment, but the recognition of being truly seen on the level of my soul, or sharing an emotional experience with another person through the art that I create. Of course, it would be a dream come true to financially sustain myself with my art, without extending more effort than I can afford. I would love to fuel the creations born of inspiration and passion and focus less on monetizing craft for mainstream popularity. To be able to feed my stomach and soothe my soul without having to sacrifice one for the other is ideal. To be considered as Art, myself, would be among the highest of compliments.

 What advice do you have for aspiring artists?

 

Keep creating. Try to stay organized, especially if you consider yourself a creative whirlwind. Don’t take critics too much to heart- good or bad. Just trust yourself and continue doing what you love and let it shape you, and keep sharing.