About Me
Artist Statement
Stippling, or the process of using small dots to construct an image, represents a detailed and bright nostalgia for my girlhood. I would stipple in the art room with classmates, creating together at tables around me. In this communal environment, dot by dot, I gained a greater understanding of self and place. To create together, it was vital for us to respect and understand each other’s balance, both joy and struggle. I discovered that empathy had the potential to replace anger, misunderstanding and confusion. Only then were we able to understand the unique truth lying within ourselves. Upon reflection, stippling each dot became a metaphor for the healing and mindfulness that I wanted for my community and me.
As my world grew, I spent time away from stippling. I began to believe that my technical skill no longer had a place. It wasn’t until I experienced learning from the Autistic community that I was able to recover my creative spirit. I began to listen to the Autistic people that I was serving. Many use “stimming” – the repetition of physical movements, sounds, words or moving objects – as a comfort or form of self-expression. Their “stim” is an innate part of their identity; witnessing behavior that was true to their individuality helped me reconnect with the fact that stippling is part of mine. Having reclaimed this part of myself, I’m driven to continue exploring nuance and repetition in my own body of work. Every subject represents a subtle inspiration that makes me smile, laugh or think. This love of detail is the common thread that connects everything I make.