Artist Statement

My drawings are a synthesis of material exploration inspired by the work of Gustav Klimt and the aphotic renderings of Caravaggio’s style. I found that the gilded luminance of gold against the softness of the oil painted flesh in Klimt’s paintings alluring and began to translate this visual language through working with charcoal, pastel, and graphite. Understanding that every material possesses its own visual expression, I differentiate surface textures to present a hyper-realistic illusion. I create illusions of depth by manipulating the reflective qualities of the graphite medium by causing it to emanate light and appear to float above the charcoal’s dark surface. This trompe l'oeil rendering of the silvery graphite coupled with the use of the intense chiaroscuro technique inspired by the work of Caravaggio, the drawings allude to a sense of magic and mystery.