Memory.

Lifeline: Expressions of Intimacy Through Paint is a body of paintings that seeks
to bridge physical distance by sensually applying layers of oil paint to recreate the
physicality of my husband. I allow the viewer to enter into a private exchange by the use
of intimately charged spaces, like the bed, which demonstrates how paint can be a
conduit for touch in absentia. By intensely remembering my partner in these works, I
reconstitute my knowing him through paint and seek to move beyond mere representation
to know and express him better. Therefore, these paintings not only bridge the physical
distance between my body and his, but search for meaningful expressions of my internal
conversations as I make visual discoveries that expand my understanding of him.

Conversations about Mortality is a series that uses installation, sculpture,
painting, and audio to explore our relationship to mortality. The premise of the work
relies on the quote, “The truth is rather than the images, though beautiful in themselves,
come to life in the act of vanishing…” The research begins with a recorded conversation
with four individuals who have all lost someone they love. The audio explores the
memories each speaker has of the deceased. A portrait of the speaker is painted on watersoluble
paper with a quote from the conversation laser etched into the back of the
painting. The painting is then placed in a water vessel made of plexiglass, and then
installed on found raw wood and steel for support. Viewers are encouraged to sit on a
provided chair to listen to each speaker.