Artist Statement

I began creating art when my parents found it kept me quiet in church. In fifth grade, I started drawing a dragon, inspired by the fantasy novels I read. This sparked the desire to keep creating, to seek improvement so that I could draw my own characters. My elementary and junior high art teacher was an amazing woman who pushed me to try the harder elements of art. My mom was an artist. So, I had access to art supplies and more support than my rural town provided. I disagreed with my high school art teachers and pursued music through college. Since then, I have been self-taught, always seeking more resources.

My primary medium for many years has been digital. It lends itself very well to illustration and storytelling. I create my webcomic in Clip Studio, which has a small following. I find solace in telling the story of overcoming guilt and self-loathing. I work in a variety of traditional mediums, but I have landed on creating larger pieces with oil paint. Many people complain about the slow drying time, but I find it works to my advantage. I love the thickness of the paint and the purity of colors.

I grew up admiring John Singer Sargent. I am drawn to how he captures likeness and focuses on the face. The backgrounds are impressionistic, drawing focus to the subject over the background details. For Agnostic and American Jesus, I drew inspiration from religious works. These pieces provide commentary on religion and American politics. During my time living in Kansas City, I made frequent visits to the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum. This opened the door to further research in art history.

My webcomic, Fortune's Fancy, is a way to process my feelings of alienation and guilt from trauma. I use my own drawing style rather than trying to imitate or explore new styles. It is a personal piece that gives me comfort, often my go-to on rough days. The story explores themes of self-love, acceptance, overcoming trauma, and queerness.

When not painting, I also create small crafts. I enjoy working with resin and crocheting amigurumi. Resin provides the opportunity to play with glitter. I play the bassoon with Missouri Southern State University's Orchestra and Concert Band.