As a photographer and painter I find the energy I need in vibrant light and space, but the beauty I desire in truths and details.

As a first generation American, I love to explore the dualities in American culture - specifically the conflicts between environmentalism and capitalism, and faith and science. My background as a freelance journalistic and lifestyle photography for 15 years informs my approach to making art and the 10 years I've spent working in corporate America to make a living informs a lot of my ideas. My scenes are often colorful to express gratitude for life and yet the reason I create in the first place, like many others, is to work through obstacles and pain that come with life as well. That said, I love the use of irony and humor to cope and convey important ideas and concepts. I am a firm believer humor has a place in fine art.

I grew up in Los Alamos, NM - raised by my dad who is a nuclear scientist and my mom who is a graphic designer and florist. Because of them I always had an appreciation for science and nature. My parents are both artists as well, and they showed me it's perfectly okay to be multiple things at once. My painting process is experimental. I use my own photography (and digital manipulation through Photoshop) for the source images for many of my paintings. The materials I use are mostly oil and acrylic paints but I also use spray paint, pastels and other materials (often up-cycled) to create unique layers and textures. I am mindful of the human impact on our environment though, which I recognize as one of the greatest challenges facing society today. This theme is often present in the concepts of my work, but even when it isn't, I make an effort to be resourceful and careful with my preparation, materials, and cleanup.

As I get older I realize art, like life, is full of both good and bad, knowns and unknowns. You never have more answers, only more questions. The best we can do is create something beautiful out of all of its messy layers and odd twists and turns. And like life, I often do not have a preconceived vision for what my art will look like when it's finished. Therefore, I rely on various techniques and layers to guide me. Ultimately, the painting tells me when it is resolved. My goal is to create vivid, detailed, and contrasting compositions that seem both familiar and foreign. My work feels complete when it can draw people in and encourage them to question their relationship to the world and those around them. Ultimately, I aim to create something worthy of spending time with, in space, in thought, and in conversation with others.