There are some objects that are so small and so painfully commonplace that they are easy to overlook. Ceiling tiles, cheap sneakers, and lamps, to name a few. I make art about the personal stories behind these unseen objects. This is the focus of my art because I spend a lot of time pondering what stories these objects might have in their pasts, or, since they’re often such ubiquitous parts of our daily lives, what events they might have borne witness to. 

 

When I make my work, I try to use at least one or two materials that relate in some way to the object whose story I’m telling. In my current pieces, that means that I’m working in acrylic paint on wood to convey the idea of luck and good luck charms. I’m also including sequins in my pieces. Usually I pick the techniques that I use in my work by thinking about how I want the final piece to look and picking the most plausible and effective combination of materials and techniques. In some past work, that’s meant that I have worked slowly and with many thin washes of color. In my current work, this means that I focus on realism and smooth blending. My process and technique are often very specific to how I envision my work in my head, even before any part of it’s reached the physical world. 

 

Currently, I’m making paintings about things that people carry around with them as good luck charms. These objects are fascinating to me because ideas about what might be lucky are personal and usually almost entirely based on the story of the object itself. Good luck charms also get taken to important events, so there’s another layer of interest because of the idea that they’ve witnessed significant moments in people’s lives. With my work, I want to challenge the idea that anything is so regular or everyday that it isn’t worth examining further. I hope that when people see my work, it makes them think about the everyday things that often go unnoticed.