Artist Statement
When I began the body of work that I refer to as “My Childhood Series”, I wanted to select subject matter that was very personal and dear to me. As I researched possible interests, I stumbled across some very old photographs of my sister and I taking bubble baths in two trashcans. The photo sparked memories and feelings that I hadn’t indulged in for quite some time, and as a result, I became determined to start a documentation of my memories. My focus isn’t so much on the facts, but more so on the feelings of peace & joy that I felt in my youth.
I work primarily acrylic on canvas with a bright and bold color palette using a glazing method to add depth & layers to my work. The figures are kept faceless, simple and outlined in black giving the initial appearance that a child could have created the work. Every painting illustrates a particular story, memory, moment, icon, or symbol of my childhood. I attempt to concentrate on the happy memories that truly capture the innocence I felt at the time. On occasion, I do tackle fairly elaborate subjects & events which deal more with the reality that was happening around me though I may of been oblivious to it at the time. I have three main figures in my work: myself, I am the one with the pigtails; my sister, she is the one with the curls; and the dog.
In the beginning, as I dove head first into this subject, I found much peace and comfort retreating back into the mentality of my childhood or what I like to call “my happy place.” In a way, it was therapy for my busy mind, while teaching me that those feeling were still within reach. Through the years, I have seen the positive effect my work has had on people as they are taken back to their own childhood. The lack of details in each character allows a person to place their own face in the paintings while they go down their own memory lane.
As I continue to explore and document my memories, I have gotten involved in murals, collaborative projects, public art projects, and blogging as a way to share my work with the general public outside of typical gallery settings. I find art to be a very powerful and positive tool in our society and am always looking for ways to share that with the average person. In addition, I hope to one day publish a book of my work along with the stories behind each painting and possibly get into children’s book illustrating as well.
