I aspire to understand and experience all that I can and believe that everyday presents a new learning experience to me as an artist – an observer. I choose to create figurative work because it has the ability to connect with viewers very directly. A subject’s pose or a certain look in her eyes, even if it’s subtle, can convey emotions, tell a story - make a viewer empathize with her. During my collegiate career I intend to continue with work that uses the figure to illustrate stereotypes and generally accepted social behaviors that are continually swept under the rug as “not a big deal” by most. Individuals are constantly placed into categories by their peers; bitch slut, hippy, thug, redneck – whatever it may be. Some even choose to categorize themselves by behaving and/or dressing in ways that they think may appeal to one group or another, which inevitably causes them to become caricatures of who they once were, or really are. These stereotypes, whether unfairly projected upon a subject or deliberately perpetuated by the subject, influences our everyday interactions with one another. It is an unjust reality. Know your role.