In these recent works, the color blue appears over and over, not intentionally but pervasively. Both abstract and anthropomorphic, these works reside in an in-between space of form and meaning in an effort to grapple with the state of the world today.
In these works, I paint atop National Geographic magazine images in an open, non-predetermined manner, treating the picture plane as a psychological landscape on which to process projected thoughts and feelings. I intermingle abstraction in color and form to push and pull potential meaning or lack thereof in a semi-surreal space.
These works aim to bring beauty, balance and grace to underlying structures of destruction, trauma and loss. natural disasters have become common occurrences in our world, and while the devastation and trauma remain for those impacted by them, they are news flashes washed away for the rest of us. Intrigued by aesthetically pleasing aerial destruction news media shots in the wake of these events, I paint over prints utilizing the colors and compositions inherent in the images in a visceral and playful approach to abstraction; randomly covering parts and consciously choosing elements to keep. All the while, bringing awareness to what I'm hiding, losing or holding onto. In the end, I may provide brief glimpses into what occurred beneath.
These works are a critique of our sensationalized information landscape and fleeting attention spans. I printed and painted over beautiful news media images of Afghan female athletes who have had to give up their pursuits after the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Utilizing colors embedded in the images, I “cover up” the story by slowly and methodically painting over them in order to uncover the loss that’s implicit in complacency.
These works honor the strength women around the world have endured and continue to endure.
