Artist Statement

Print and pattern go hand and hand, for any print is a pattern. Our eyes are wired to see patterns; it is an important biological skill that we use every day. Geometry, repetition and form engages our brain in unique ways, allowing for diverse interpretation. Each viewer imprints their ideas into a pattern before the subject matter is clear. The scale of my work invites the viewer to get lost in the pattern.

The Imagery I use is intentionally ambiguous; there are infinite ways my work can be perceived. Once you spend some time observing the pieces, some recognizable forms begin to emerge from the page. Much of my work is reductive, and transforming my raw imagery to a simple form is a key part of my process. I find my imagery by observing my surroundings and gathering snapshots from a particular place or moment in time. Most of these snapshots can never be recreated again because of geological or environmental factors, making that moment unique. 

Before creating a pattern, I look to experience patterns in my environment. I begin with an image and work my way down to a simplified, high contrast object or icon. Once I settle on a specific image, I reflect and rotate it until a symmetrical pattern comes together. This “formula” of reflection and gridding has enabled me to create a consistent thread through my work. After working digitally to create my images, I then use a photo emulsion process to transpose them onto a silk screen. I began experimenting with orange and black, offsetting the black to allow a sliver of orange to show.  The fluorescent inks that I used are translucent, and they create an abundance of new colors when layered. 

Every scroll I created helped inform the next. Printing the first scroll opened my mind to large format silk screens,  something that is not often done by hand. Screen printing in this way has been rendered obsolete by digital printers, turning printing into an industrial process. While silk screens are certainly less efficient in many ways, I find that screen printing by hand creates unique variations in every pull. This adds to the complexity of the pattern. In a way, the variations record the screen’s history much like the way I take photographs. 

Each print represents a moment. Each Print represents a memory.