When I begin thinking about COVID-19, which I'm certain most of us do these days, multiple times a day, my mind tends to arrive at the desperate and helpless position humanity has found itself in.
Eventually, this state of mind starts to wane, as resiliency nudges its way through. I cannot cope in a state of despair for too long a period before beginning to notice beauty again, as it surrounds us so abundantly.
In this time of relentless uncertainty, I have discovered some benefits to our situation. One of them being that there is more time for art-making. Finding oneself in a studio apartment in downtown San Francisco could be thought of a as a cage, or it could be perceived and cultivated as an artist's studio. Now, pursuing an intentional art practice is all the more precious, for it could be fleeting. And when it flees, it will also mean the stabilization and return to a "normalcy" that our society is evidently yearning for, which will be another moment to welcome.
My artistic process generally begins with exploration in nature. I find so much wonder in the organic, and connection in all things living and from the earth. In my work, I have started transforming natural forms into the abstract, often colliding with geometry. Lately in my work, there has emerged a juxtaposition between rigid, straight, contained, geometric lines and shapes with flowing, amorphous, organic forms. This visual disparity creates a contrast that didn't exist in my prior, solely rendered landscapes.
I have recently had the opportunity to visit the Pacific Northwest, which completed my personal exploration of the coastline between San Diego and Vancouver, BC during the years of 2012-present. Equipped with visuals from these many regions and ecosystems, I will continue to produce paintings that both depict and personally interpret the beauty I've beheld.
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