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I was born and raised in Indiana, and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1999. I am a graduate of Purdue University, with a degree in Computer Science. Currently I'm working as a Software Engineer for an arcade machine manufacturer. I've always had an interest in art, but it didn't really spark until high school and my art teacher, Al Jacquay, gave me the idea that art could be a part of my life. He told me to "Never lose your creative eye." Although in college I was pursuing a Computer Science degree, I continued to explore my artistic side, and continued to take a minimum of one art class every semester. Since moving to California, I have continued to take art classes at Academy of Art College, Berkeley, and most recently Mission College. Even though art is only my hobby and not my occupation, art is where my heart and soul reside.
Where my abstract images come from? Growing up gay in Indiana was difficult. There was a lot of emotional turmoil that I was experiencing in middle and high schools. It was at this time that my style of artwork manifested itself. All of the anger and sadness that I had bottled up inside of myself, from being teased and rejected by my peers, had to come out. As a result, I started doodling on my notebooks during class. These doodles became more and more complex as time went on. These drawings were a pure release of my emotions. I can still pick up a pen and piece of paper, and just allow my emotions to flow out onto the page. After moving to California, I started doing this same process with Alkyds (a type of oil paint) on canvas. This has resulted in images that are more dimensional, suggesting modeled forms, and not just line art. Over the last couple years, I have been exploring sculpture. The "Twisted Wood" series is the latest translation of my abstract line images into 3D space. I use a process of deconstruction and reconstruction to create these sculptures. Square rectangular boards from the lumber yard are cut down into small shapes. I then re-assemble the shapes into abstract forms. It is interesting how wood starts out as an organic shape, and then gets cut into rectangular boards. I then deconstruct the boards and re-assemble them back into organic shapes. It's as if my sculptures have gone full circle.
A special thanks to my professor, Lynne Todaro, from Mission College, who sparked my interest in sculpture and helped me take my 2D images into the world of 3D. |
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