My body of work represents antiquity and history.
It is a look into the past through my own eyes and perspective, tying together my experiences with my personal objects. I like to create still lifes, studies, and stories using antiques from my collection. The focus in my paintings is to draw attention to the details in the oldness of objects, enhancing the wear and tear. In doing so, I create a tale of heritage, highlighting the use, which to me is what makes the antiques so valuable. Each object, like the ones in the pieces “Reflections” and “The Lavender” may look simple, but hold a meaning and story on the canvas. The silverware pitcher and candle holder in these paintings were my grandmothers passed down to my mother that I used to have play pretend tea parties with and the green or clear glasses were things that date back to the 1940s I found outside as a child. Also, the dried lavender is placed there because it is my favorite smell and has been for years, while the pokeweed berries in “Reflections” are what I used to make into ink to draw with as a little girl. These pieces placed together all are incredibly meaningful parts of my childhood because they inspired my imagination and allowed it to run in many different ways. The glasses felt magical because they held a past but felt whimsical in the present because I could let my mind wander with what they used to be. Likewise, the silverware felt so whimsical while I sat next to my younger sister pouring pretend tea out of the pitcher and lighting the make-believe taper candles in the candleholder.
The idea of putting so much emphasis and meaningfulness into a painting that I only truly know the meaning as the artist and allowing the viewers to be their own interpreter is why I love to create work using personal vintage items. I love writing a story with composition and telling a tale with paint. Pulling my fascination for the pure mystery of history into my art is what drives me to create. I strive to continue to build a collection furthering my interest in still lifes and storytelling. I want to look further into the idea of childhood and the past, even dipping into my own past.