Big Idea Reflections
Big Idea
Celebration, reverence for life Themes Feminism, culture, heritage As an artist, I find myself focusing on ideas relating to my family, culture, heritage, surroundings, and the appreciation of them all. I pay mind to the smaller details that are overlooked and show them the love that I feel they deserve. We have much to be grateful for, and we are growing every day. This would not be possible without celebrating what has come before us, and what will come after us. I work to preserve the stories my grandmother tells me as she suffers through memory loss. I acknowledge the environment that my family has built for me, and help it grow in return. I have many strong, beautiful women working tirelessly around me that inspire me every day. I believe in paying attention to reactions and responses, and celebrating our never ending growth and power. About Artist Statement |
"Let Us Lay in the Sun"
Reductive print 11 x 8" |
Artistic Influences
"Big Ritz"
16 x 12" Gouche and ink on paper. 2009. |
Shahzia Sikander, while she may create artwork appearing vastly different than my own, works in a similar fashion as the way that I work. I am mindful in my process, and see every piece as part of a larger process. Every move that I make directly affects the one that came before as well as the one to follow. I constantly rework my pieces and work fluidly though any particular emotion I am feeling in the moment.
Learn more about Shahzia Sikander here |
Bob Ross was the first oil painter that I knew of. I have vivid memories of sitting on my grandfather's lap as a young girl and watching Bob Ross together on PBS. I connected with Bob Ross because I felt as though I had been to the places that he was painting. When I began oil painting at the age of 9, I gravitated towards painting scenes from the Rocky Mountains and the western wilderness that I knew as home. With oil paint being a challenging medium, I often turned to Bob Ross for a sense of encouragement as I took ownership of what happened in my paintings, and reacting and responding accordingly.
Learn more about Bob Ross here |
"Foot of the Mountain"
Oil paint. |
"Flatirons"
Print, multiple sizes available. |
Phil Lewis works with vibrant colors and fluid movements as he recreates landscapes through his own perspective. I appreciate and can connect with his ability to stay true his own interpretations on landscapes. I first discovered Phil Lewis's artwork while in an art gallery in Boulder, Colorado, where he is based out of. I felt in tune with his work immediately as I was able to picture my own memories in the places he recreated, as well as his expressive process.
Learn more about Phil Lewis here |
Starla Michelle uses airy colors and thick brush strokes in her work that add a playful and feminine feeling to her subjects of nature. Starla Michelle beautifully leaves her brush marks and adds ornamentation to each of her works, which I also find myself doing as I create my images. A strong feeling of celebration and feminism come out of Starla Michelle's compositions that connect to my own themes and big ideas.
Learn more about Starla Michelle here |
"C for Cow"
Limited edition print. |