Artist Statement

Experiencing aphantasia, the inability to mentally visualize imagery, I rely

entirely on what I can physically see. Without the ability to picture moments

internally, realism becomes both a necessity and a comfort. My paintings

explore how emotion and intimacy are communicated through gesture and

physical presence rather than speech. Through visual textures, physical

sensation, and the residue of spoken words, I use painting to rebuild 

experiences that exist emotionally but not as internal imagery.

Family archives play a major role in my process. Growing up, my mother

constantly photographed my sisters and I, trying to capture the love she saw in

us. Those images now act as visual guides and moments I can return to,

reconstruct, and expand through paint.

I’m drawn to body language, gaze, wordless exchanges and the quiet tension

between figures. Through portraiture and domestic settings, I explore themes of

nostalgia, intimacy, femininity, and emotional protection. I’m interested in how

softness and strength can exist simultaneously, often within the same figure.

In oil on canvas or wood panel, I work through slow, deliberate layering,

building the image over time. Thin glazes and measured brushwork allow skin,

fabric, and light to unfold gradually, creating a surface that feels both

physically present and quietly familiar. I often scale intimate scenes larger than

life, transforming private moments into immersive experiences that invite

viewers to slow down and reflect. Ultimately, my paintings function as

emotional archives, bringing together past and present, reality and perception.

Through realism, I am not just painting what I see, but what I’ve felt, held onto,

and chosen to remember.