artwork
PORTFOLIO OF MIXED MEDIA, FIGURE WORK, LEATHERWORK + POTTERY
art, forever and always
I’ve been creating art my whole life. I pursued a major in the arts, and then a Master’s degree in the Art of Instruction to become an Art Educator. About five years into my education career, I shifted to graphic design and marketing which eventually grew into brand consulting and creative direction. In college, my emphasis was on figure work, mostly charcoal, with a side-collection of other mediums. Later in life, I started to dabble with more tactile mediums such as leather and pottery, while still maintaining my love for painting, ink and mixed media.
I am constantly experimenting and trying things that inspire me. My work typically highlights the relationship between structural and organic elements, and my color palettes lean towards rich, earthy tones with a pop of vibrancy. I have done many custom projects for loving clients, and continue to create — the act of which always makes me feel like coming home.
leatherwork
With leather, you’ll see a blend of structural and organic form come through in my designs. Leaving rough edges to bring forth the true nature of the leather, while also creating simple designs means I can enhance each piece from its original form, versus rebirthing it completely. In some designs, like the large tote bag, I used a single, complete hide (sans handle) to provide a creative challenge and reduce waste.
painting, drawing, collage + mixed media
I am mesmerized by creating art with a variety of mediums, often mixing them together to discover their relationships. You’ll see examples below of collage and oil, paint and charcoal, acrylic on raw canvas and wood, gauche and ink, reductive oil on wood, etc. I’m always playing and exploring. It’s as much about expression as it is about investigation for me, an unfolding of myself and the medium itself.
pottery
There’s nothing quite like getting your hands messy with a chunk of clay. Shaping it into something you’ve envisioned (or usually something else completely) is everything they say it is: meditative, playful, therapeutic, challenging and rewarding. When I can find the time, I take local studio classes and always learn something new.
figure work
What’s not to love about the unique lines, colors and shapes of the human body? Through figure work, I learned some of the most crucial lessons in art that there are to learn about light and form. It is a raw experience in every way, transmitting the human body in front of you onto a two-dimensional piece of paper. While this was my main focus in college, I currently seek out figure-drawing workshops to continue this lifelong practice.