artist statement
My mixed-medium drawings combine the freedom of gestural expressionism with the deliberation and precision of craft techniques. Beginning with loose, intuitive drawing, I create lively compositions from organic shapes and lines. The frenzy of drawing is often embellished with passages of glitter and various cut fabrics, creating dense webs that convey intense and unsettling emotions.
I work with materials that are conventional and non-traditional. While my works resemble drawings and usually begin with pencil marks, they also incorporate aspects of painting and collage. I enjoy the challenge of creating works of art whose identity is ambiguous and hybrid. By combining different media, I create organic, free-flowing forms that resemble the human body and shapes found in nature.
I grew up in Europe, mostly Italy, where I was surrounded by fashion and beauty. I try to translate this sense of glamour through the materials, shapes and compositions of my drawings. I’ve also been inspired by ornate chandeliers, which influence my use of glitter and the decorative structure of my work. An interest in 18th-century Japanese prints has also informed my sense of space and flat compositions. Essentially, I try to evoke the experience of certain events, places, and emotions without specifically pointing to any of them. Like these memories, the content of drawings is deliberately blurry, and leaves the work open for discussion.