My work explores the phenomenon of bioluminescence through the language of abstraction, aiming to capture the wonder of natural light in darkness.
Drawing inspiration from deep-sea organisms, I use abstraction to move beyond literal representation, instead translating the emotional and atmospheric resonance of these light-producing forms into texture, color, and gesture.
Bioluminescence is inherently paradoxical. It is fragile yet resilient, ephemeral yet enduring. It exists in the margins of perception, often found in the deepest oceans or the darkest forests, where alternate light sources become an extraordinary event. My work seeks to mirror that duality, revealing light through scraping darker hues away, and adding luminous reflective glass beads to create compositions that seem to shimmer from within.
While the works are non-representational, they are rooted in close observation of bioluminescent phenomena and scientific imagery. I study patterns of light dispersal and gravity, allowing these principles to act as energetic forces in the work.
The process of painting itself becomes a metaphor for the bioluminescent cycle. I build each piece slowly, with a focus on translucency and depth. Layering, erasure, and re-emergence cause the images to feel expansive. By applying layers of reflective material on the surface of the painting, the image underneath appears diffuse, as if it is being seen through a watery veil. A quiet glow that pulses, expands, and recedes.
The glass beads create a shift dependent on different lighting conditions. The intent is for the viewer’s experience to change depending on the angle of observation, just as bioluminescence appears different from every vantage point, or even disappears entirely without darkness. I would like to create a visual experience that invites slow looking and an awareness of perception itself.
Bioluminescence is not just a visual marvel. It is a symbol of communication and adaptation. In a time marked by ecological loss and disconnection from the natural world, these quiet illuminations remind us that life persists and even thrives in the darkest places. What indicates extreme conditions is relative to different species; what exists as oppressive and nightmarish for some is where others thrive. Through abstraction, I aim to evoke that sense of natural resilience, to offer spaces that feel contemplative and alive, where viewers can reconnect with a sense of wonder.
Bioluminescence is inherently paradoxical. It is fragile yet resilient, ephemeral yet enduring. It exists in the margins of perception, often found in the deepest oceans or the darkest forests, where alternate light sources become an extraordinary event. My work seeks to mirror that duality, revealing light through scraping darker hues away, and adding luminous reflective glass beads to create compositions that seem to shimmer from within.
While the works are non-representational, they are rooted in close observation of bioluminescent phenomena and scientific imagery. I study patterns of light dispersal and gravity, allowing these principles to act as energetic forces in the work.
The process of painting itself becomes a metaphor for the bioluminescent cycle. I build each piece slowly, with a focus on translucency and depth. Layering, erasure, and re-emergence cause the images to feel expansive. By applying layers of reflective material on the surface of the painting, the image underneath appears diffuse, as if it is being seen through a watery veil. A quiet glow that pulses, expands, and recedes.
The glass beads create a shift dependent on different lighting conditions. The intent is for the viewer’s experience to change depending on the angle of observation, just as bioluminescence appears different from every vantage point, or even disappears entirely without darkness. I would like to create a visual experience that invites slow looking and an awareness of perception itself.
Bioluminescence is not just a visual marvel. It is a symbol of communication and adaptation. In a time marked by ecological loss and disconnection from the natural world, these quiet illuminations remind us that life persists and even thrives in the darkest places. What indicates extreme conditions is relative to different species; what exists as oppressive and nightmarish for some is where others thrive. Through abstraction, I aim to evoke that sense of natural resilience, to offer spaces that feel contemplative and alive, where viewers can reconnect with a sense of wonder.