What are three life moments that made you who you are today?

Growing up I wanted to be an astronaut. That was way before I decided to pursue art as a career. I was looking at being an astronaut as a career because I have always been adventurous but realized that I couldn’t do physics and math then I learned about art through a teacher and got inspired to take my hobby seriously. I think having a big imagination (to a fault sometimes), being keen to the less predictable, and problem solving if something does not work out/seeing solutions where people wouldn’t generally look played a big part in shaping who I am today.

Who or what is inspiring you these days? What’s shaping your thinking?

Lately, I have been super inspired by research and maybe that’s still the little astronaut in me, but digging into things that I am interested in or reading things that will lead me to a path of interest has been very inspiring; it’s been helping me in my paintings and pushing my ideas further.

Do you feel you are more instinctual or intentional when you create?

I am definitely on the instinctual side of the spectrum. I let ideas flow and land where they want to land but generally they aren’t too far from my original concept.

The paintings in Dearest are not based on a formal series. How did you arrive at the final selection? Did you find yourself working with any specific criteria?

In the making of Dearest, I was thinking about pieces that had similar themes. They didn’t need to all look the same but explore the similar ideas. That’s how I made my selection!

Texture is an important aspect of your work. Can you tell us a bit more about this idea that “texture functions as a storytelling device”, and how it relates to your aesthetic?

Texture is definitely a big part of my visual language, it helps me structure vague ideas into emotions that I can put into visuals. Outside of the figure, I find interest in letting the textures emphasize certain parts of the story I am telling not in a linear way but more as a journey with no clear destination.

What do you want people to think or feel as they flip through the pages of your book?

I want people to think of Dearest as an offering, an insight into my practice as a painter and all that informs my work; like a painting diary.

Can you think of one piece of good advice someone gave you, and who said it?

“If it’s meant for you, you’ll always find your way back to it.” My mother. It makes think about painting and how I always find my way in it, through it and back to it.

What is one thing you want to accomplish this next year?

I am currently working on my masters degree and next year I should hopefully be done.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in your lifetime?

I am hoping to continue painting and telling stories for the rest of my life; this is what my heart beats for and what make my days easier.

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