Artist’s Statement
My work usually starts before I fully understand it. A lot of the time, it begins with one image, symbol, pose, or face that feels like it has something underneath it. I build from there through linework, value, observation, and symbolism. I want the control in the drawing to hold the image together, but I do not want the work to stop at technical skill. There still needs to be pressure, conflict, or a story beneath the surface.
I often use figures, including myself, but I am not only trying to make normal self-portraits. Changing the expression, pose, symbols, or environment can turn the same person into someone completely different. Drawing from life gives that symbolic work a stronger foundation. It forces me to slow down and deal with what is actually there: proportion, anatomy, light, texture, weight, and space.
I am especially drawn to pen and ink because there is not much room to hide. Every mark matters, and weak value or linework can make the image fall apart quickly. That pressure fits the kind of artist I want to become. I want the work to feel precise and controlled, but not safe or lifeless.
I am still trying to strengthen my anatomy, color, environments, and visual storytelling. More than anything, I want to keep finding the balance between control and risk, and between what the viewer notices first and what takes longer to understand.