Artist Statement
All my work is based on childhood memories, memories that are fun but often times very dark too. My early work focused on taking these memories and recreating them into large installations. However, over time, I realized that these larger and more complex installations presented an accessibility hurdle and an information overload for the viewer. Redirecting the focus of my work on more hand sewn sculptures of childhood objects, I was able to create pieces that I felt were more accessible, yet still subtle and effective at relaying the connections in my art I deem most powerful. Rendering these colorful 3D childhood objects from swatches of two dimensional soft fabric often found in common family homes (fleece, cotton and felt), I have tapped into a surreal, playful and fantastical childhood nostalgia while maintaining a poignant exploration of very serious, difficult, dark and raw personal and family identity themes.
While my work is admittedly very personal, I intentionally and strategically incorporate elements sufficient for each viewer to piece together his or her own dreamy or dark nostalgic story. Each nostalgic object I position in a rendered space become an additional puzzle piece in a larger amorphous realm. I want to welcome viewers to inject themselves into these spaces, interact with these objects, and allow these objects/spaces to transport each one of them into his or her own nostalgic, surreal conundrum. These immersive sculptural creations are my way of bridging the gap between my own exploration of the past and my identity and the current moment in time and identity in which the viewer finds himself/herself.
CV
Education
1997 Georgia Southern University
2010 University South Florida
BA Studio Art
Solo Exhibitions
2018 Pop 'N Stuffed, Frequency Arts, Chattanooga, TN
2017 Common Threads, Paper Plane Gallery, Atlanta GA
2014 All The Pieces Are There, The Hatchway Gallery, Tampa, FL
2012 Obvious Truth, Center Gallery, Tampa, FL
Group Exhibitions
2018 Stuff(ed), Basile Gallery, Indianapolis, IN
2017 Cardboard Coverall Dreams: Wayne-O-Rama Volunteer Show, Err Space Gallery, TN
2017 Stitch, ClayPool-Young Art Gallery, Morehead, KY
2017 New South II, Kai Lin Gallery, Atlanta GA
2015 avATARIum, MF Arts, Ybor City
2014 A Different Frame of Mind, Contemporary Art Museum, Tampa, FL
The Colbert Bump, Sleeth Gallery, Buckhannon, WV
2012 Elephant in The Room, Creative Loafing Art Space, Tampa, FL
Death is The Destination, Ernest G. Welch Gallery, Atlanta, GA
Portrait: Mirror Mirror, Black Box Gallery, Portland, OR
2011 Mixed Tape, Tempus Project, Tampa, FL
Pulchritudinous, West Tampa Center for The Arts, Tampa, FL
Don’t Call It A Comeback, William and Nancy Oliver Gallery, Tampa, FL
Spatial Agnosia, Center Gallery, Tampa, FL
Sacrosanct, West Tampa Center for The Arts, Tampa, FL
2010 Work, West Tampa Center for The Arts, Tampa, FL
Mors Mortis, Sliver Meteor Gallery, Tampa, FL
So You Think You Can Paint 2, Center Gallery, Tampa, FL
Reel Fest, Arrow Head Farms, Tampa, FL
USF 34th Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition, Center Gallery, Tampa, FL
Image 3, Family Life Center, Tampa, FL
Workin On It, William and Nancy Oliver Gallery, Tampa, FL
Postulation, William and Nancy Oliver Gallery, Tampa, FL
So You Think You Can Paint? (Tampa Edition) – Center Gallery, Tampa, FL
Under The Springs- Art and Film Festival, Springs Theater, Tampa, FL
2009 MythMakers, William and Nancy Oliver Gallery, Tampa, FL
Image 2, Family Life Center, Temple Terrace, FL
First Annual Juried Digital Media Exhibition, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Uncovered, The Great Frame Up, Wesley Chapel, FL
2008 Trashy Fashion Show, Largo Cultural Center, Clearwater, FL
Awards and Grants
2010 3rd Place/ “Kick Ass Award”, 34th Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition
2010 2nd Place, Image Exhibition
2009 Best In Show, MythMakers
2009 School of Art and Art History Talent Grant, University of South Florida
2009 2nd Place, Image Exhibition
2008 2nd Place Trashy Fashion Show
Bibliography
2015 Nerd Noir, Podcast, August 19th, 2015
2012 Art Taco blog, “RNC Diary, Part Ten: Elephant in the Room II” September 4, http://art-taco.blogspot.com/2012/09/rnc-diary-part-ten-elephant-in-room-ii.html
2012 Death is The Destination, Exhibition Catalogue, Ernest G. Welch Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2012 Portrait: Mirror Mirror, Exhibition Catalogue, Black Box Gallery, Portland, OR
2012 Creative Loafing, “Obvious Truth”, March 29, pg. 4
2011 Art Taco blog, “Pulchritudinous @ West Tampa Center for the Arts Gallery”, November 28th, http://art-taco.blogspot.com/2011/11/pulchritudinous-west-tampa-center-for.html
2011 Creative Loafing, “Pulchritudinous”, November 17, pg. 2
2011 Art Taco blog, “Sacrosanct @ West Tampa Center for The Arts Gallery”, February 4, http://art-taco.blogspot.com/2011/02/sacrosanct-west-tampa-center-for-arts.html
2011 Arts Council blog, “Spatial Agonisa: Exploring the Concept of Space”, January 31, http://artscouncilofhillsboroughcounty.blogspot.com/2011/01/cello-soloist-scott-kluksdahl-and-tampa.html
2010 Mors Mortis Art Show blog, “Mors Mortis Collaborative Drawing Experience” September 10, http://morsmortisartshow.blogspot.com/
2010 USF 34th Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition, Exhibition Catalogue, Center Gallery, Tampa, FL
2009 St. Pete Times, “Trashy Fashion Show Returns”, April 15, pg. 14
Professional Experience
2016-2017 Puppet Builder for Wayne White/ Wayne-O-Rama, Chattanooga, TN
2015 Assistant Curator/Art Handler for Hatchway Gallery, Tampa, FL
2011 Assistant/Sculptor for Ceasr Cornejo/ Puno MoCA, Art Basel Miami
2011 Assistant/Art Handler, Graphic Studio, Tampa, FL
2010 Curator of the Art Exhibition, Reel Fest, Tampa, FL