On Exhibit: Society57, Downtown Aurora, IL for the months of September and October 2024
"I am human, I consider nothing human alien to me." -Terence
Exhibit Statement: “Outer Space, Inner Self” is a self-curated solo exhibition of fifteen (15) artworks, including thirteen (13) hand-cut paper collages and two (2) geometric paintings. This body of work features artistic responses to the solar system. Each of the celestial bodies in this exhibit, the planets and the luminaries, is personified using a galactic interplay of astrology, astronomy, mythology, and depth psychology. Each “ology” offers its unique perspective for exploration in relation to the cosmos. I personify objects to conjure and convey psychological ideas through my art.
Glancing upwards towards the sky, something catches our eye. The mind’s telescopic lens of discerning discovery believes it sees all. Orbiting ourselves around ideas that may or may not be ours, we remember that we can be witness to our own familiar constellations that lavishly light up the dark sky. A chance encounter that promises fortune not fate. Turning inward, we cross the threshold into another dimension. Realizing that we have only experienced reality as we seemingly know it to be. Even though it may be written in the stars, we must not forget to read between the lines of our life. We do not lose ourselves in the void of outer space, but find ourselves in the vast inner space within.
On Exhibit: Batavia Public Library, Batavia, IL, for the month of August 2024
“Art is not escape, but a way of finding order in chaos, a way of confronting life.” -Robert Hayden
Exhibit Statement: “At the Edge” is a self-curated solo exhibition including twenty-two (22) of my hard-edge geometric acrylic abstracts. As a painter, I am inspired by the hard-edge painting art movement that emerged in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Hard-edge is a counter-movement reaction to Abstract Expressionism. This movement visually highlighted an artist’s intention rather than intensity, and was known for crisp and clean lines, as well as sharp color contrasts. This exhibit features a collection of my work in this style of painting.
Like my paper collage work, precision is not only a part of my particular process, it is where I find the edge of my own existential growth as an artist. After all, control is merely an illusion of the ideal. The ideal is the contorted line that stretches itself thin, and becomes the tightrope tension between holding on and letting go. The part precision plays in my work is not merely a demarcation or sublimation of chaos. It is the manifestation of my mind’s urge to find the sharp edge of clarity, no matter how razor-thin, by tracing ambiguity’s existence at the edge.
On Exhibit: Yorkville Public Library, Yorkville, IL, for the months of June and July 2024
**Extended to August 17th
Exhibit Statement: “Ever After” is a self-curated solo exhibition including nine (9) of my hand-cut paper collages. In this exhibit, each collage is an artistic response to a Grimms’ Fairy Tale using imagery from high-fashion and a multitude of other print materials. This body of work is where fairy tale meets fashion, and allegorical antiquity is reimagined through a modern metaphoric lens.
Formulaically, I personify objects as symbols to conjure and convey psychological ideas in my artwork. Fairy tales depict thematic tales that closely mirror the human experience, and Jungian psychology sees fairy tales not only as rich stories, but as an allusive illustration of the psyche. Their words may ferociously haunt (especially in the darker tales that Brothers Grimm are known for) but they also offer a chance for transformative redemption. While we may fall under a captivating spell, we must remember that we still possess the power to break it. As a viewer, I invite you to consider what symbols hold resonance for you in each collage and why. What story is being written about you?
