Statement

Having predominantly practiced relief printmaking for ten years, I’ve developed an unorthodox method of implementing its key tenets; carving but not printing. I fancy the permanence felt through the weight and volume of a mounted linoleum block, I consider it the final artwork. It allows me to experiment with color more freely without destroying the block itself while also providing a more tangible sense of confidence as the block communicates assurance with every cut, scrape, or break.

I am largely inspired by musicians and athletes. Moments of spontaneity in the development of melodies and the unpredictable nature of sport capture my attention. I employ this spontaneity in my artistic process by using creative energy to execute each piece directly, forgoing a sketch/proof of concept stage. I find the initial excitement felt at the inception of an idea wasted on any structured plan.

A common throughline in most if not all my work(including those submitted) is spectacle. I want to create an immense amount of movement and detail in each piece, dragging the viewer’s eyes across every inch of linoleum. I endeavor to do this by flooding each piece with striking colors or dynamic cuts. I also try to tell jokes with my pieces. I believe the fine art realm is often too self-serious and runs the risk of falling into pretentiousness. My artistic philosophy is amusement before statement; or amusement through statement. I fear a viewer’s scowl or indifference.

I attempt to pursue this viewer amusement in the simple beauty of a piece. I see nothing wrong with engaging with art–regardless of its deeper meaning–on a casual level. I want viewers to be able to engage with my work on a purely superficial level and still leave room for deeper analysis. It should be pretty and/or entertaining before it has anything to say. What’s the point of talking if you’re too repulsive for anyone to listen. Of course there is value in engaging with something repulsive, but I do not believe every barrier should be that high.

I absolutely love the tedium of my medium and the unorthodox way I express myself within its confines. Though my method of practicing printmaking is laborious I love the feeling of a hard day's work, from the research and conceptualization phase to their completion, each piece feels like an odyssey. Each piece feels earned.