Artist Statement
In Deep Thought
In Deep Thought is inspired by my recurring dreams based on aspects of parks and nature I explored as a child. This was created with the intention of not only exploring deeper parts of my personal memory and psyche, but also allowing space for viewers to reflect on their relationship with memory as well. My use of materials such as oil and acrylic paint, graphite, and charcoal contributes to dream-like compositions that offer a smooth transition from the physical world to the world of memories. Taking inspiration from the surrealism movement and M.C. Escher helped with successfully executing disorienting space, overlapping elements, and compositions that resemble a maze. Additionally, recurring elements in the artwork such as the flowers, park signs, and stairs represent the endless rotation of such memories and actively show how we carry important moments with us throughout our lives. In the future, I want to continue this specific method of working to create a different style of painting landscapes. The goal is to create even larger work, and experiment with non-traditional art materials to achieve a similar effect as this series. My inspirations, explorations in nature, and memory research will help in solidifying these ideas and help me grow as an artist overall.
