Tried in The Fire

STATEMENT

As a self-taught visual artist, my passionate goal is to create artworks that sparks meaningful conversations. At an early age drawing came naturally to me. I created figurative artworks using pencils. On my journey as an artist, I began to mature and develop a great appreciation for all styles of art. The mediums of colored pencils, pastels and acrylic paint were all added to my artistic style in my early twenties.

In 2014 I had a strong desire to create art in a way I had never seen. God gave me a unique process idea that I call Laypuzzim® (layered puzzled image). Laypuzzim® art is created by cutting textured card stock paper, mat board, or wood. Each individual color of the art piece is cut out by hand, layered, and puzzled together to create an image using negative space. This process is very innovative and intriguing.

The Laypuzzim® process is an enjoyable challenge that starts with a designed image followed by a great deal of engineering. One of my favorite parts of the process is seeking out the perfect type of materials, textures and colors to bring my artistic vision to life. From a distance most people think my artwork is a painting. Once the viewer gets up close to the piece, they can see the depth and dimension of all the layers.

When I see the spark in their eyes and know that they truly get the process and the message, I feel an incredible sense of accomplishment and joy. My ultimate goal is to create artwork that sparks meaningful and thought-provoking conversations. Its purpose is to serve as a visual reminder of our self-worth, love, joy, peace, accountability, and history.