Artist Statement
Memory and nostalgia are themes that have always been at the forefront of my artistic practice. Whether I am creating digital collages using archival imagery, or constructing miniature suburban houses, the past holds a great influence over the pieces I create.
I have found, over the course of my artistic career, that these themes are easy to apply to many different mediums. Being able to experiment with mediums while maintaining a constant critical framework has helped my art grow into unexpected yet unique works that both reflect my interests and help me refine my craft.
Through the lens of nostalgia, we can contextualize our present lives from a new perspective. As I explore my memories, the past, and nostalgia through my works, I find myself reflecting on the present and future as well. Considering how our memories guide and impact our lives is an important process for me. This process is always at the back of my mind, which lets me create pieces that have deep, meaningful interpretations.
Gallery talk for Memory Lane, 2022
About Me
Before deciding to pursue visual arts, I funneled my creativity into theatrical design. I worked throughout high school and college as a costume designer and seamstress. In college, I began fabricating props and working on theatrical sets. This helped me discover a knack for sculpture, and shortly after, I became interested in pursuing a Studio Art major.
I accompanied my Studio Art major with a minor in the Film Studies department, where I explored film history and attended local film festivals. Becoming immersed in film studies greatly influenced my art. Most recently, Memory Lane was inspired by commentaries on American suburbia in films like The Truman Show and Edward Scissorhands, as well as TV shows like Mad Men and Twin Peaks.
During my time in the Studio Art program I learned foundational art skills in drawing and painting, as well as in book arts, sculpture, and digital media/graphic design. I participated in a capstone project in which I developed my artistic practice by working within a critical framework. My framework started with themes of transcendentalism, nostalgia, eco-nihilism, and the sublime (see Reverberate), and later evolved over the course of my senior year into mostly themes of memory and nostalgia (see Prograde & Retrograde).
I graduated Rollins College in 2022 as a member of the ODK honor society, and with Magna Cum Laude honors. Now, I work as an Entertainment Technician at Walt Disney World, where I get to utilize my creative skills on a daily basis.