Ascendancy 3 Print

This work is part of a series that explores the topics of competition, hierarchy, mastery, and greatness. In the current climate where "winning" seems to be very important, I find myself constantly reflecting on the time I spent growing up playing competitive sports year-around. Even at a young age, the concept of winning was engraved into my persona, molding my competitive spirit. However, winning extends beyond just sports and the arena. It is something I see present in all aspects of daily life. My paintings take a critical view on the implications winning can have on the individual and society; from joy to disappointment, from drive to fatigue, and to the physical and mental toll. What does it look like to win? Perhaps winning is formulaic. Simply, mastery+competition=winning=hierarchy=greatness. In my paintings, thoughts are conveyed through a visual language developed from my imagination and consisting of images, formal art elements, and materials. I utilize all painting mediums, and collage materials into my work to create complex visual statements. Arising from the improvisational aspect of my making process and the manipulation of materials, my vision is busy, fragmented, frantic, and dense with visual stimuli. Through the repetition of elements, characters emerge, from which the paintings become visual narratives. Yet, the works are always grounded in my desire to, and affinity for, paint.