Work > Writing

Let's jump right in. Your subject matter originates from an experience you had on the West Coast. Can you share that story?

I went to Oregon a few summers ago and found these dead birds washed up on the shore. I took pictures of them and that's how everything started. I use some of the pictures that I took in my paintings. I've been using dead birds and fish that I find on the Internet and putting them into my compositions.

I didn't really know what to think 'cause I'm like “This is strange. Why are there so many birds washed up here?” If you go to the Jersey Shore or Maryland, you don't find that there. On the West Coast, the water is colder. I don't know if they die at sea and get washed up there or if it is having to do with climate change.

Has your attitude towards this moment evolved or changed since you started with it, or have you held onto the that initial reaction – wanting to know more about what had caused this?

I look at articles. There were birds that washed up one year on the West Coast, I don't know if it was Oregon or Washington. They washed up but they're still figuring out why. Sometimes there's different migration patterns and they’re getting confused.

Do you ever go bird watching?

Haha, no, no.

You know how people that have dogs are always just like, “I wish I could be a dog.” Do you feel like, “I wish I could be a bird?”

Maybe, they're pretty cool. You can fly around, yeah? That would be cool.

How do you think that the past year has affected your work?

My work did change. In the summer or spring, I started to put more of a background in my still life paintings. My work is about climate change and how it is affecting the environment, but I wasn't putting my compositional arrangements in an environment or like a landscape until now.

I'm picturing the recent ones with the burning sun in the background. Is that something that you saw and it impacted you just like these birds, or is that invented?

It's a blood moon and I was looking at this artist I found on Instagram, and he put a moon or a sun in the background of his paintings. Blood moons happen sometimes during a wildfire. I’ve seen pictures of how the whole sky is red or orange and then turns the moon into the same color. I like looking into the meaning behind blood moons. They are pretty rare and they're also called a hunter's moon. That tied into the bird theme. I was taking inspiration from Dutch Masters which are about hunting trophies.

Wildlife is always constant, and you've sort of gone through some different phases of those backgrounds. There's the still life and these new environmental ones but there’re some with white backgrounds. They're really interesting. Where did those come from?

I think last summer I did one of the fish. I was inspired by Janet Fish. She did a painting titled “Bag of Tangerines'' and I had this idea for a painting that could be titled “Caught in the Net.” I thought of the title beforehand and then I saw her painting. So I'm like, oh I can put fish in a bag like netting, but then it's also the kind you get when you buy a bag of tangerines. And so, her background was just white and then I just did that for a few other of my paintings.

When you're looking at these, either contemporary works of art or art historic inspirations, where do you look for that?

I usually search it up on the Internet. Usually, I just type in Dutch Masters Still Life and then find the artist and pieces go from there. I also go on Pinterest. If you search for something on Pinterest other related things to your topic will come up.

I feel like that's a great resource for looking, but then also collecting. Do you use it for that?

I do have my own boards, but I don't have a specific board for that. I have an art inspiration board, but it's not for my paintings – just artwork that I like.

I recently watched a documentary which argued that the artist's personality was reflected through the physical act of painting – kept to himself and painted slowly and quietly – and his choice of subject matter. Do you think that’s common with artists? Do you think that would be possible?

The artist does shine through because everyone paints differently and has their own specific style. Just the way that they interpret the world around them. Everyone has different thought processes and visualizes things differently.

What ways do you think that your artwork goes through that filter?

My brush strokes and color. I have a process, like everyone. Some people do an underpainting or draw or sketch first. I usually start with an underpainting and then paint over it. You can still see the underpainting. Sometimes I sketch them, but most of the time I have a visual in my head. I usually sketch it out first on the canvas.

You work on canvas or on wood, how do you decide which?

It's usually what I have available. The paintings that I do on wood are the ones that I want to be a perfect size, I need to cut it into a perfect square. Sometimes it's harder to build a canvas to be the size you need it to be.

Do you listen to anything when you paint?

Sometimes I listen to music and maybe a podcast. I usually listen to Lana Del Rey. I've been a really big fan of hers since I was 13 or 14. I went to one of her concerts when I was like 15.

Do you visualize that as you’re painting? Like, “I wish I was back at that concert?”

Yeah, I think back like “wow I wish it was like 2014 again,” and not 2021 still dealing with the pandemic.

So pandemic life, how is it?

Well, I think it was a blessing in disguise. I was like, “I don't know if I'm going to have time to paint after college or where am I going to paint?” But during the pandemic, since we had to find a place to work to finish school and everything. It was great that I had that space to paint, so I just kept painting after graduating.

Do you feel like painting is a breath of fresh air in this time or something that you do as a routine?

It’s something I just do now. I always want to make sure I have a painting I’m working on for my portfolio or a family member.

You've been doing some commissions too?

I'm doing one right now for my sister. She and her boyfriend just moved into a new house. It's something different to do instead of just painting dead birds all the time.

I listen to this podcast, called Talk Art and they ask every person this question: if you could go on an art heist, in a private collection, in a museum, maybe it's already destroyed, what would you want to steal?

Can I do 2? This one at the Barnes Foundation titled “Studio Boat” by Monet. I really like the reflection and the colors. It sort of left an impact. I have always really liked Monet and his brushstrokes. I have always wanted to paint like him. I take inspiration from him for my own work. I don't think I'm an Impressionist, but I am trying to combine my style with impressionism.

I can picture where that inspiration shows up in your work. I can see that, but it's different. You're taking that inspiration, but you're filtering it like we were talking about earlier. And you had a second one?

Never saw this one in person. “Christina's World” by Andrew Wyeth. Maybe one day I'll go and visit the MoMA.

That would be awesome. Finally do a trip there after wanting to see it for so long.