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STATEMENT

The fictional landscapes depicted in my paintings are inspired by places I’ve been, which have been re-imagined as constructed, utopian environments. Through this, I aim to explore the ironic nature of modern development. So often, land is raised to make way for prefabricated housing developments, strip malls and industrial parks, which effectively alter the natural beauty that initially attracted developers to these sites. Man’s work in altering nature can also been seen through the manipulation of vegetation. Topiaries, as well as other plants and shrubs, have been reshaped and trained to grow in unnatural forms for centuries. Greenhouses promote the growth of foreign species of plants in what would otherwise be inhospitable climates.

These paintings are created though collaging strips of oil-stained paper onto natural birch panels. Tracts of ranch houses and other modern, architectural structures are carved directly into the wood and then stained with oil. This process creates permanent incisions into the panel itself. The juxtaposition of these two opposing forms and processes symbolize my exploration of the American Dream as it has evolved from my parents’ generation through mine.