As an artist, I’m obsessed with psychology. I’m particularly fascinated with the
concept of identity and it’s layers of complexity. Through my practice, I explore
stories that reveal themselves in the dissonance between how a person internally
defines themselves versus the version of themselves they craft for the world to see.
It is in these stories that we learn what it means to be human.
To reveal the hidden stories, I embark on a deep process of connection,
deconstruction and reconstruction. To connect, I engage directly with the subject,
asking questions about how they define their inward identity. I then explore their
outward identity such as the physical features others believe define the subject.
Enlightened with these psychological insights, I use them to fuel a deconstruction
process of the subject’s image. Engaging in a deep meditative-like analysis of the
face, I identify geometric shapes, symbols and patterns that are hidden to the casual
observer. Finally, I reconstruct their image creating a completely new visual story of
their identity.
Working in oil with a bold palette, my work employs insights from Neuroaesthetics to
command the eyes attention and intentionally stimulate an unusual combination of
psychological ‘rewards’ including a release of dopamine, a chemical
linked to feelings of sex and love, and the activation of the cultural region of the brain
that seeks patterns, shapes, and other visual attributes that give it ‘meaning’ and
make them feel more connected to the piece. It is through this intimate process that
the viewer experiences the story of the subject’s identity.
