Inspired by the politics of human power dynamics, I paint narratives where paintings become individual characters constructed from personified objects. I am eager to understand the sociopolitical ramifications of physical and psychological trauma as something we inflict on each other. Mainly as it relates to exploitations of power; this is the impetus. With color, scale and variant modes of representation I recreate recognizable objects by narrating them in unrecognizable ways, resulting in a friction between the familiarity of objects and their functions. Operating allegorically, my paintings embody archetypes of power and humility, symbolically expressing spiritual, moral and political meanings. My narratives overwhelmingly complicate one’s notion of hierarchy in power and authority, essentially allowing for an experience that is authentic in its complexity. While confrontational, my paintings create visceral experiences, implicating the thoughts of others, making one more aware of one’s moral and psychological subjectivities.

Although more subtle my recent paintings continue to thematically explore issues of trauma as something we inflict on each other. These paintings, more readily examine psychological traumas through one's relationships to objects, interior spaces and people. This slight deviation from past works allow these paintings to solely focus on more explicit notions, specifically notions of entrapment, hunger, insecurity and intimacy. Both literally and metaphorically articulated these issues come from a more intimate place. For me making these paintings more accessible.

Education

2009 American Academy in Rome, Rome, Italy
2009 M.F.A., Painting and Printmaking, Yale University School of Art, New Haven, CT
2007 B.F.A., Painting Major, Art History Minor, Maryland Institute College of Art,
         Baltimore, MD

Selected Exhibitions

2010 Balls, Obsidian Arts, Minneapolis, MN
         In/Ex, Gallery M, New York, NY
         Joel Dean, Fabienne Lasserre, Leslie Smith III, Jolie Laide Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2009 Emerge CT: 2009 MFA Graduates from UConn, Western Connecticut State and Yale,
         Stamford, CT
         Yale University School of Art M.F.A. Thesis Show, New Haven, CT
2008 Verge, Galapagos Art Space, New York, NY
2007 Visions of Conflict: Rendering Dissent, Gormley Gallery College of Notre Dame,
         Baltimore, MD
         MAEF Juried Exhibition, Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, MD
         Maryland Institute College of Art B.F.A. Thesis Show, Baltimore, MD
2006 Taylor Companies Retrospective Show, Taylor Companies, Washington DC

Honors & Awards

2009 American Academy in Rome, Al Held Affiliate Fellow, Rome Italy
2007 Best in show, Maryland Artist Equity Foundation Juried Exhibition, Baltimore Museum
         of Art
2006 – 2007 Freda Eichelberger Scholarship
2003 – 2007 Thailheimer Scholarship
2003 – 2007 ARTS Scholarship, MICA
2003 National Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts Finalist and Scholarship recipient