I’m a painter and graphite artist originally from Riverside, CA, now based in Chattanooga, TN. I moved here in 2016 after visiting on a road trip and quickly felt a sense of belonging. While I miss Southern California and its art scene, living in a more affordable place has allowed me the freedom to create more. I’m also grateful to live in a time when artists can connect with galleries and audiences anywhere.
I would describe my style as dark surrealism. I express through art what I struggle to explain verbally. That’s part of the meaning behind the jawless subjects in my work—they communicate something without speaking. I aim to give form to intangible ideas like the paranormal, inner demons, mental illness, love, and loss. Sometimes I create something simply because it feels visually compelling, and the meaning reveals itself later. As my friend and favorite art teacher Jeff Soto once said, even when you don’t think you’re creating something meaningful, there’s usually a subconscious reason behind it.
I’m often most inspired after difficult or tumultuous periods. I’ve spent time in dark places, whether circumstantial or self-imposed, and I’ve learned to find beauty there. For me, art is a way of alchemizing the negative into something meaningful.
I grew up in a house that my family and friends believed to be haunted. Strange and unexplainable things happened there, and I was often afraid, especially when alone. Despite that, I found it fascinating, and those experiences later influenced much of my work.
I always loved making obscure things from whatever materials I could find around the house and creating art and stop-motion movies with my brother Zak. He was my hero and biggest inspiration, and he taught me a lot about technique and expression. I was especially influenced by the rawness of his work and his grotesque characters. After he took his life in 2015, my work became more introspective and cathartic. I went from painting mostly animals to focusing more on people and the darker side of the human experience.
My husband Luis has also been a major influence. We met in my freshman art class when I was 14 and spent years making art together. Although our styles are very different now, that time played a big role in the development of my work.
My process usually begins with sketching a concept in Procreate, taking and editing references, choosing a vintage frame, making a panel in my basement woodshop, and painting from there.