ARTIST STATEMENT

     My work explores themes of Christianity, identity, portraits, and realism. When I paint traditionally, I paint on 18x24in simple artist canvases because it gives me enough room to add details. I tend to try to blend emotional intimacy with a unique artistic style. I do this by creating art that relates to a certain topic through the choice of pose, mood, and lighting, allowing the viewer to be able to relate in some way while showing my own artistic style in the shape choices, clothing, and visual design. I get inspired by all kinds of people, especially those who have distinctive faces or unique personal style. I also get inspired by emotions I may feel about a certain topic, as well as by God’s word. Through my art, I aim to inspire others, help them feel seen, and ultimately lead them toward Christ by showing the love of God through the pieces I create.

     I create spiritual, expressive, and cinematic illustrations. I use digital painting software such as Procreate and Krita and traditional paintings using water soluble oils, oil paint, and oil pastels. I draw portraits, usually head to bust portraits, with expressive tones. My portraits are often stylized and given unique features, clothing, and other visual elements. For every piece, inspiration comes to me in different ways. Sometimes it’s through visual references like Pinterest, and other times it comes from asking Jesus for direction and clarity, which often results in a mental image. I build my references in Procreate through photo bashing to shape the mood, style, and composition I want. Then I sketch it out on the canvas using pencil, digital pencil, or projector depending on the size and medium. After sketching, I like to block in the colors such as flat colors, shading, and lighting before continuing to add details to the piece.

     I use research to help strengthen my ideas, whether I’m looking into God's word, studying different render styles, or looking into artists who work with expressive portraits. Learning more about what I'm doing and interested in helps me explain my work better so viewers can understand the meaning behind it. My audience are those who feel like they can’t have a unique style and follow Jesus at the same time, because they don't feel “churchy” enough. As well as those who do and do not know Christ. This way I hope to help these individuals and plant a seed for them in their walk with Christ. I aim to encourage others in their walk with Jesus. Some themes I want to keep approaching are faith, identity, and emotional vulnerability. The main questions I’m asking in my work are how faith and emotion can show up visually? How can my art guide someone towards Christ? And lastly, how can I make someone feel seen and show the love of Christ?