Artist's Statement
My recent paintings depict imagined narratives involving idealized, unnatural women living in a world of imitation-nature, painted in saccharine, jewel-toned colors. The figures are often hybrid portraits of me, or stand-ins for me, in various role-playing situations.

Using a concocted version of myself as a character set in these synthetic outdoors stages, my work touches on issues of the artificial versus the natural. I’m interested in our struggle as humans to balance the wild, animal part of ourselves with the part that likes the structure and security of civilization and culture.

I believe we all have a love-hate relationship with societal rules that govern our behavior. They serve us in some ways, and frustrate us in others. They can make us feel manipulated and confined, or empowered and safe. I’m intrigued by the idea that the rules we learn to follow become internalized to the extent that people assume they do certain things because they want to, not because they are taught to.

Like many people, I tend to romanticize the times when people lived a more “natural” life, closer to the earth. I don’t think we often have a realistic concept of how difficult it was to live that kind of life. Even so, I like to fantasize about moving to the woods, getting out of cities and leaving rules and expectations behind. Being able to completely define my own identity, and to be free from the demands of society. In reality this would never happen- I like too much about living in society. I wouldn’t even know how to physically survive. Social norms are so ingrained in me that I don’t know if it would be possible to separate myself from them.

These ideas bring up many questions that I’m exploring in my work: How free are we to determine our own identities? Is it possible to consciously consider the rules of one’s culture, and then to accept or reject them? Who imposes / enforces social norms? Do people try to live up to the expectations of society because they are told to or because they want to? At some point does there cease to be a difference? What kind of culture would be created if modern civilization were wiped out and a group of survivors had to start from scratch? How can we stay in touch with the wild parts of ourselves while living within the order of a “civilized” way of life?