An artist statement for this body of work, now on view at GearBox Gallery through January 7th. I consider each series, body of work for where it is in my art timeline. There are continuations, there is elvolutions, there are lessons learned from each period of production. Some words for the current series:

Learning to live in a pandemic – check. Navigating young adulthood – check. Independent decision making (can still keep me up at night) – check. Forming relationships, surviving break-ups, heading off into the world – check. This series began in 2020. I continue drawing young people living their lives in the (post)pandemic world still managing to find joy and friendship and love, shaping their lives and world view from where they stand. This current collection celebrates that, The Kids are Alright.

Except. In November 2021 when a young man brought a gun to his high school. (The first thought we might have is which one was that?) An image from the immediate aftermath was so compelling and gut wrenching (and it turns out not so easy to draw) I saved it and thus began a series based on images collected from events in the news. The question becomes – wait, are the kids alright? Focused on the domestic, I brought together images both terrifying and celebratory to consider the interconnectedness of our daily lives and experiences. The lines of color highlight that connection. And, sadly, these images also serve as a reminder how easy it is to forget and move on to the next event.