“I also enjoy creating just to create.”
Artist Statement
In my work, I create new characters and scenes using collage and surrealist practices. I combine archived photos with other subjects like animals and insects. This practice begins with finding and editing photo components together to create a composition that is original and symbolic of my current feelings or interests. I like to use skulls and skeletons in a lot of my work because of their immense detail and their non-binary nature. The emotions and current events heavily sway my work, but I also enjoy creating just to create.
I attribute my growing creativity to my childhood, primarily the time spent with my father. I was always challenged to create new things using anything from snow in the winter season to cut pieces of magazine pages. He was studying to be an artist himself until he learned he was going to become a father. He made the decision to switch to a business degree that could help support his new family. As I grew up, I continued to be inspired by the drawings he would create in his spare time or the little sketches he would leave in my assignment notebook. As I grew up, we would create time to draw together and he continues to critique and support my work today.
I have always been drawn to ink and graphite throughout my artistic career. In my time in high school, I would use ink pens and sharpies to draw on both paper and my arms at times. Today, I still enjoy creating ink works using both stippling and crosshatching techniques. In my graphite work, I use a wide range of values to capture different textures and contrasts. I choose to create primarily black and white drawings because I have developed skills in this area and it pushes me to focus on shading. I enjoy challenging myself to use subtle value transitions within the fabrics and drapery in my scenes and to hide my own symbolisms in the fine details within each piece.
Today, I am continuing to create graphite works in which I collage archived photos to create a scene or composition following the lyrics of some of my favorite music. Each piece can contain elements of animal symbolism, mid-century patterns, and a tie to a song from the 50s or 60s. I am also creating small ink pieces in my spare time that use more photography and stippling to evoke an emotion or memory.
Artist CV
Skills Summary
Positive and hard working college student with a proven record of success in meeting deadlines, ability to learn quickly, maintaining high grades, creative thought and application, and strong interpersonal skills.
Education
Bachelor of Fine Art, University of Nebraska - Omaha, Omaha August 2022 — December 2023
Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln August 2019 — August 2022
I began my college career by studying Graphic Design before switching to Studio Art.
Exhibitions
Best In Show Showcase - Artist Cooperative Gallery April 2024 - June 2024
I continued to show more of my drawings after the community voted my work the best in show in the Emerging Artist Exhibition.
Emerging Artist Exhibition - Artist Cooperative Gallery March 2024
I presented four of my recent drawings in my “Music To Paper” series for a month alongside other up and coming local artists.
Benson First Friday - Burkes Pub Showcases January 2024
I staged and presented four of my graphite drawings inside showcases in front of Burkes Pub for a month.
AIGA Club Digital Artwork Showcase December 2023
My digital artworks were chosen out of many submissions and presented alongside other amazing student artworks.
Marian High School Showcase March 2019
My ink drawing was presented in a show with other selected artists.
KENEKO Art Camp Showcase June 2018
All of my work created in the week was presented with the other artist's work.
Professional Experiences
Emote Creation April 2023
I created animated and still emotes that are used in a Twitch streamers stream today.
Commission November 2021
I created a graphite drawing to commemorate my grandparents by drawing their hands holding.
Collaboration Work September 2021
I worked with my classmates at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln's Innovation Campus to create screen prints.
Chalk the Walk May 2020
I worked hand and hand with the owner to help draw chalk designs for events or parties on the client's driveways.
Jeweler's Assistant August 2019
I worked for a local Jeweler and aided in embossing packaging, taking and staging photos, cutting shapes for the jewelry, and many other tasks.
Publications
Marian High School Newspaper March 2019
One of my ink drawings was presented in my high school's newspaper publication.
Download my Artist CV Here