Artist Statement

^{The feeling of release is something I chase. To experience the sense, you have to
understand why you want to feel it. The act of taking photographs means there is a
certain level of understanding that is directly correlated with the images themselves.
While actively composing a scene, the meaning is physically weaved into the image
itself. Photographs, in turn, are my way of understanding and leave me with a visual
representation of an explanation.

My art practice is based on photographing a portion of a surreal world that behaves as a
metaphor for my experiences and environment. To understand, I use common themes of
the body and its identity, human interactions in nature, and abstract depictions of
mental health and experiences in my work.
Playing with the surreal and whimsical while creating an exclusive environment
within the frame, my pictures are all about exploring what can be seen and implied.
Using different mediums in photography such as medium format film, dslrs, and
alternative processes, I digitally or by hand manipulate the images to emphasize further
what is being portrayed.

Additionally, creating photographs that showcase the
progression of my mind my work forces me to come to terms with the topic I am
exploring and how this affects others.
I enjoy pushing the boundaries of self-realization and reflection viewers can
have. My images are an act of attention and, in return, recognition for how and why
these images were made and how they attend to the viewer. I have no fears about
changing the images or manipulating them to tell a story. In the end, my story is spun
into various meanings, and it will take on a new life that was extracted from me.}