Tell us what you do and your beginnings.
I currently specialize in unique artwork that “breaks the fourth wall”. This is an expression borrowed from the theater in which the character will directly address the audience or acknowledge the camera or viewer.
Much like this style of theater, my work portrays characters interacting with the frames containing them. Whether through burning, breaking, or bending, each of my characters affects the frames in surprising ways.
Creativity has always been part of my life, but the forms in which they have taken shape have changed over the years. From 4 years old to 13 years old I drew nonstop. It was a stress reliever, a way to escape into a different world. As a child, I struggled to make friends and be part of the group. The drawing was my safe place.
However, around 13 years old, I began to take up running as a new escape. It was an area that I excelled in. And my art fell by the wayside.
Eventually, I went to college to be a writer. I knew I wanted to be creative in some capacity, and I had determined art was not a viable career path. So writing it was. When I graduated, I worked in advertising as a copywriter for 10 years. But these 10 years proved to be very challenging.
The job never felt quite right. I worked alongside illustrators and I always envied their jobs. After all, they got to draw for a living. But I felt like I had made my choice and was trapped in my role as a copywriter. Corporate America was soulless. And I struggled to find fulfillment. Deep down I knew that art was my true calling, but I had abandoned drawing so long ago and now I had bills to pay.
Then COVID hit. I lost my advertising job and went on unemployment. It was at this moment that I decided to rekindle my artistic flame. I had failed at a job I didn’t even want so why not chase my dream job?
It took about 3-4 years to find my style. I started as an editorial illustrator, creating artwork to accompany editorial work. But this proved just as soulless as copywriting. So, I decided to just make art. My early work always included a visual plot twist of some kind. I loved to subvert symbols or combine symbolism to create new meanings.
When I started to explore altering the frames containing my work, I found an area of art that was exciting to me and felt meaningful.
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