My process for painting happens more like a round table discussion between myself, my subconscious, the faeries, and all the people I interact with during the making of the work. I use painting to explore concepts or ideas that I desire to gain a deeper understanding, whether it be external prompts or more introspective explorations. My work ties itself together better the more I trust the process, even if it means I end up changing major elements of the painting when I thought it was nearly complete. A painting is finished when it stops talking to me.

Silver Arrow Tarot

What started as a personal rendition of The Hermit ended up growing into the project of a lifetime. As I was painting The Hermit, I heard a little art fairy over my shoulder asking in quite a demanding tone “So you’re painting the whole deck, right?” At first the idea was impossible to conceptualize. I had never even completed a cohesive series at that point and now I was going to tackle a 78 card deck? But after that voice coming back repeatedly and incessantly, I gave into it and started my journey.

I didn’t just want to paint a tarot deck, I wanted to thoroughly explore each concept created by the cards to understand what they really mean to me. It’s a slow process but I think the patience will pay off.

Shadow Work

Light cannot exist without dark, and this contrast keeps the cycles of life flowing. I use painting to process being alive, which often means diving into the scary parts of myself. I practice compassion in conversation through visual imagery. When I have deeper feelings, I ask questions. I find their roots, and ultimately there is a version of me wounded and frozen in time. I offer a hand and ask how to make things better, which often provides profound new ways of understanding myself and interacting more authentically with the world.

Mountain Mama

I started painting the Mountain Mamas as a performance at music and art festivals. I’ll bring a painting from start to finish over three days. These paintings are inspired by the rolling hills of Appalachia, and how easy it is to see her sprawled out on the horizon. Her beauty is impossible to miss, and damn near as hard to capture.

Other Works

I am obligated to go wherever inspiration takes me, whether or not it is part of some larger narrative.

Sometimes it is meditation, sometimes they’re meditations, sometimes they’re exercises in pushing my limits.