My Mythology so far...

Photography by Brandon Loureiro.

My experience has launched me into public art in 2024, where I worked alongside the Boise City Department of Arts and History in the development of the first Art Port, which would allow students at Boise State University to propose an original sculpture for a two-year loan. My proposal, a coyote and her cub made from recycled metals, was designed to visually demonstrate the power of the Reduce/Reuse initiative, which was a significant part of the art call’s project goals. ‘Reclaimed Majesty’ was selected for the Art Port and initiated the first of many installations that will be done in collaboration with BSU’s ART 334 Assembled Form class and the City of Boise’s Department of Public Works.

Alongside my public art experience, I’ve been contracted by local businesses to produce custom props and costumes, which exercises my skills in communicating with clients and working alongside customers to create original art that fits their expectations. My prop-making background relies on delivering art that can co-exist with actors and staff working for entertainment events and productions. Taking into consideration how props will be displayed, how they will be fastened to the stage, and how they can stand up to abuse within high-traffic areas are essential concerns for props and can easily be transmitted into other art projects.

Costume design is a big part of my creative process and a hobby that has turned into a valuable skill. Planning out the aesthetic in sketches and playing with different fabrics grants numerous possibilities with color expression and problem-solving. I often find solutions that are unique to the project I take on, especially when considering historical materials.

I was awarded the Alexa Rose Foundation Grant in 2023 and used the funding to support myself through a workshop in Florence Italy in Marble Sculpting. This experience propelled me into a sculpting emphasis while in undergrad and still is my primary form or artistic expression.

Art is an extension of my voice and inner dialogue. Medieval manuscript illuminations intrigue my visual style as well as costume design. I like to play on folklore and classical mythology, blending personal conflicts and contemporary analysis on historical notions to create a sense of authenticity and timeless imagination to the subjects of my art. I find myself blending together animal characterizations and human nature, exposing preconceived notions about sex, gender, and religious propaganda. Taking the time to research historical implications is an important step into my creative process and a valuable resource to gather understanding of our world today.

There is a strong desire I feel to commemorate something in the moment, a small piece of wood on the side of the road or a blurry jpeg image lost on the internet. What is left behind and what will be forgotten brings a sense of urgency to document such fleeting moments, anything from nostalgia to thoughts of déjà vu. Art is archival, it tells the stories language forgets to write down.

Artist Statement

There is a folder I keep to archive the moments I feel grab my headspace and direct me to create something tangible from them. Holding them close and preserving their essence is my mission. Leading to hours of construction, the process often is haunted by a statement that moves my emotions and motivates its direction. Often forming into small narratives that bring a spirit to the work, I find reasons for placement, color, and material used relies on the characters developed in this process. Connecting storytelling to my work allows immersive experiences, something I find fulfilling as a viewer and a creator of art. A way to move people and advocate for things that cannot speak for themselves. Often it is up to art to depict the things the media fails to represent.

As I grow my artistic practice, I am constantly thinking about how I can garner a moment of attention that evokes interaction bridging the gap between the gallery space and those that walk into it. I find it hard to say something with my art when I truly want it to move people to act upon what was said. I look at what truly stays in my head in a world full of attention grabbing media. To occupy space in one's mind long after they have seen the art drives my experimental practice combining moving parts through animatronics, puppetry and costume work. To create something that is not just visual but touches the other senses and creates an environment that welcomes exploration, reflection, and change.