artist statement

Art, to me, is the highest form of expression. What is said through art is that which cannot be said through words. Art is rare and beautiful, even if not conventionally so. I believe that my work as an artist is a direct reflection of God. Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. He is the Creator, therefore I, created in His image, am also a creator. I create because I was made to, and creation is one way for me to fulfill my purpose and my being.

I am like all artists in that I have a dual nature – one part teachable technique and one part innate creativity. That creativity is not only my message, but also my vision for the means by which that message will be communicated. Be it through drawing, software, fibers, or some other means, that realization is where the technique comes in. The vision is nothing without the means of expressing it, and so the artist must have some mastery of his or her materials. I experiment with materials with which I am unfamiliar, and am always challenged by these experiments, but when I truly need to express a message, I turn to materials over which I have some level of mastery, materials that are familiar, whose response I can predict, at least to some extent. I love the smooth flow and bold marks of charcoal and the clean lines of computer graphics.

Another key component of art making, to me, is empathy. Art is meant to tell stories, to convey messages, and that cannot happen if the artist is not empathizing with the viewer. Even if the viewer is the artist herself, the artist still needs to understand the mindset and emotions of the person for whom the artwork is intended, or else the message will be lost or misinterpreted. Also, the artist must understand if his or her artwork is misunderstood. It is impossible to foresee every possible reaction to your artwork – all viewers have their own personal experiences and viewpoints that they will bring with them when they approach your artwork. Therefore, you can’t be stuck in your own intent for the artwork. If it tells another story that you hadn’t intended, that should be celebrated, because that means that your art speaks on different levels.

Above all, I believe that art is meant to share human experience. Art is a universal language – it speaks to all languages, all cultures, all ages, all experiences. Art can be understood when nothing else can be, and that is something that we should take advantage of. We should use art to tell our stories and share our hearts. I believe that we can’t be shy in our artwork. We need to be open and bold in our sharing, because we are communicating through the most special means out there. Artists are the culture makers, the storytellers, and the imagination of our world. Artists are what make life beautiful and sacred. We are essential to our world.