The word “community” is derived from the latin root word “communitas,” meaning public spirit. It is my aim to explore the narratives surrounding this idea in the places where I travel and reside. A mission driven by a search for meaning and the artist’s role in uplifting the community.

 

Coming of age in a diverse middle class suburb of New York City, the grandchild of immigrants on both sides, I grew up with a rose colored image of the melting pot nation. While travel and education have since worked to show me the realities of racial and socioeconomic standings in this country, I have never lost the idyllic vision that an urban adolescence gave me.   A vision of people from many backgrounds and cultures, working together, making a whole better than it’s parts.  A love for people and hope for the future has fueled my interest in portraiture and drives me to elevate my craft as a painter.

 

My process begins with the desire to tell the stories I wish to see in the world. Whether through watercolor, graphite or paint, I work to build imagery that reflects the human experience and our overarching commonalities. Through the development of layers, either of cut paper or oil paint, I seek to show the complexities of the narratives I explore. Through my work, I try to leverage my abilities to hold a mirror to the communities I serve, seeking to create connections among people, and elevate the public spirit.

 

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