Interview

Tell us about your work:

I make abstract paintings and drawings that explore how patterns form, break, and interact with our perception. Through layered compositions, I interrupt patterns and shift foreground and background relationships, creating visual tension. Using color, texture, and transparency, I balance planning with intuition, inviting viewers to notice details, question expectations, and engage actively with the work.

What’s something people often misunderstand about your work or process?

“Viewers often think my work is very complicated, but it’s actually built on pretty straightforward systems. I layer patterns on top of one another and then pick apart, hide, or obscure them until it’s unclear where each pattern begins and ends.

I also layer color, which creates a very particular palette for each work. This is a process of accumulation and decision making as I go, rather than an articulated vision from the start.

So, the final appearance of the work is complex and distinctive each time, but getting there is not as intimidating as it might seem from the outside. Rather, it’s built on a lot of smaller, often improvised, decisions that add up to the whole.”

Has living in or around the Great Lakes region shaped your work in any way?

“Absolutely! My sense is that Chicagoans value work that is rigorous and thoughtful, they’re not so attracted to pomp and glamour. There are also tons of opportunities around the region as a whole, and curators are often involved in smaller juried shows across the Great Lakes/Midwest that open the door for emerging artists. It’s a cliche, but it’s a down-to-earth environment.

I think the region’s combination of rigor and humility is really special. It’s given me the chance to grow my own network without as much struggle, and also to develop the work as I see fit. My paintings are becoming a slower and slower read. They’re more demanding of the viewer than they were in the past. I’m grateful to live in a place where I can honor that, because I can trust that people here value that approach too.”