Big Sur Painting

b.1979 in GA,USA. I am an abstract artist, consumed with wanderlust, a passion for art, and an insatiable desire to merge the two. I pursue travel as a means of inspiration, building upon my personal stories of faith, tragedy, transition, and introspect... When I stand in front of my easel with a paintbrush in my hand, I become so immersed that time seems to stand still. It is often the only place I feel calmness from anxiety; it helps me practice mindfulness as I become fully aware of my senses. Once I put the first stroke down, excitement builds as I anticipate the direction that the canvas wants to take me. A blank canvas is like the beginning of a new day: full of hope and aspiration, a fresh start. My style of work is best described as contemporary abstract expressionism. I start each piece by establishing a color palette, primarily with acrylic paints. I like to do color studies on paper first, which help me to discover and stick with pleasing color schemes. I apply strokes of paint loosely and abstractly, while still paying attention to the piece's overall balance, tone, and contrast. From afar, my paintings look soft and feminine; but up-close, viewers can explore the hidden edginess and eccentricity. I find inspiration from colors and textures found in everyday mundane activities, things that others may overlook. I feel there is never a lack of creative stimulus if we look hard enough. I have been inspired by scars on the human skin, wilting flowers, and even the texture of an abandoned decayed infrastructure. The visuals of these subjects, and how I relate them symbolically to what I am going through in my personal life, have become my greatest source of inspiration. Each piece of my artwork begins with a personal experience of pain, joy, and/or self-discovery. Art gives me the courage to tell my story, to share it with the world in a way that reveals the universality of all our pain, joys, struggles, and triumphs.