I’m a deep thinker. I’m a painter. I’m also a mental health counselor (professional counselor associate status, currently working under supervision). As a result, I tend to think a lot about what I’m doing in my art making practice. And one of the generative questions for my ongoing body of paintings has been, What lies beneath our conscious attention, in the recesses of our minds?

Portals to the unknown, crystals, outer space, animal and bird magic, found family photos, fried eggs, chandeliers, Japanese maple trees, forests, mushrooms, staircases, wigs, Twin Peaks, phenomena from alternate realities... This "stuff" is the subject matter of my current studio practice. I'm deeply interested in how we compose our identity, and how the things that capture our attention in the world are connected to what moves us, to what we find beauty and energy in, and to our innermost selves. The things that resonate with me the most—they’re windows into how my mind works, stuck points in the world where energy is collected and my attention is caught. Crystals aggregate, stars are born and die, families record memories and eventually discard the photos for strangers to find. Mushrooms orchestrate delicate symphonies beneath the earth; staircases and liminal spaces speak of the in-betweenness of things, of the not-knowing that we must all make peace with in this life. Each of us is a living network of information, a portal into a deeper kind of knowing, a pathway to connection with others – in relationship, in love, in community.

Self-awareness is the first step in creating change, whether that be in ourselves or in the world. Nothing happens without developing deep awareness. My hope is first, that my painting practice can be a part of my developing self-awareness. And second, that this might intrigue and model for others a path that they may be inspired to define for themselves. I’m so grateful for you. Thanks for spending a minute here with me.