“What if” is a good question. What if I was taller? Or fatter? Would that make me different inside? What if I was five years old? What if my body was female, or a horse, or a bird? What if the room I’m in is an illusion and the picture hanging on the wall is real? As delightful as curious exploration may be, there is something else that drives me. I want to capture the emotional states that we all have as humans; emotions such as laughter, loneliness, futility, desire, insecurity, confusion, and play. And especially moments of being that elude verbal description. How does humor make sadness more poignant? Or sadness give humor more depth? How can loneliness be so starkly personal and yet utterly universal? And why does “serious” art have to be so, well, serious? I attempt to accomplish three goals with my artwork: for it to be engaging, meaningful, and accessible. To accomplish this I build in multiple layers of interpretation. To make it engaging I explore elements of trompe l’oeil, illusions, and altered realities to entice the viewer into paying attention. At the same time these techniques explore our perceptions of what is “real.” Is a photograph more real than a painting? Is video more real even though it is low resolution? Rather than enter the well-worn discourse on photographic truthfulness, I’m more interested in the tendency for people to be convinced by an obviously manufactured fantasy.

By placing a video into a photograph of a frame in a gallery setting, I try to examine the conventions of art and its relevance and value in today’s world. The inherent strengths and weaknesses of each of the different media are exposed by their juxtaposition. The juxtaposition also compromises each of the media. Paintings are cut into sections, photographs are reduced to serving as backgrounds, and the video is surrounded by media that exposes its shortcomings in depicting detail, color, and tone.

In each piece, I act out moments of human emotional existence that are sometimes humorous and other times poignant. Whatever the mood, the human element provides a personal connection for the viewer. For me this is what makes the work meaningful, and where the real value lies.

Finally, it is important to me that the work be accessible. Contemporary art often obscures its intent or simply fails to communicate. I want anybody, regardless of their art knowledge or appreciation, to get something out of their experience when they see the work.