Statement
Untangling Our Roots is my newest series of paintings that explores the evolution from childhood beliefs and cultural influences to finding a unique path and voice as an adult.
When we were children, we were filled with ideas and beliefs about the world and who we were, collectively and individually. Our culture, family, church, school, friends, and community shaped our ideals and worldview. As a result, many of us entered adulthood with an entire set of beliefs that we innocently called our own, oftentimes spending years separating our own values from those we were taught.
My own journey started mid-life, following a childhood steeped in Catholicism, traditional family values, and a small-town view of the world. I discovered meditation and Buddhism in my thirties and began learning and practicing skills that have helped me unpack mysteries of my life, past, and connection to others in this world. This practice has influenced my artwork conceptually and visually.
Each painting in Untangling Our Roots is infused with enigmatic nature backgrounds, illustrations that resemble childhood fairy tales, and spiritual symbolism. As the paintings develop, I recognize in their evolution an echo of the progression of my own life, from childhood to present day. Each painting strives to embody mystery, exploration, and journey.
Although my watercolors are realistic in nature, my objective is not to create paintings that look like photographs. Instead, my primary goal is to present a story or emotion that is universally relatable yet reserves enough ambiguity to allow the viewer to experience the painting in their own way. My version of realism is rendered through minimal brushstrokes, fluid washes, and pure pigments.