Where did you grow up?
Reno, NV.
How did you find out about Anderson Ranch Arts Center?
After graduating from SAIC in December of 2015, a few mentors made the suggestion that I apply to the Anderson Ranch Artist Residency Program.
What are you working on during your residency?
I am working on a few different bodies of work. There are drawing and paintings on paper that I am working on. The paintings on paper are a fairly new endeavor, while the drawings are something I’ve been constantly invested in. Next, are the walls that I am building. They are free-standing and will most likely be leaned. They are made from drywalls, metal studs and peg board. They exist as sculptures and as paintings simultaneously. Lastly are the ceramic sculptures and prints that I am working on in slower fashion.
Has your residency at Anderson Ranch affected your practice at all? How so?
Yes, in a lot of ways. I mean any new studio I work in influences the work in some way. Just the act of setting the studio up and becoming comfortable with how my body works is most of the work in the first couple of weeks at the residency. Also, I’m learning more about the language I use in my work and about my work because of the fact that Anderson Ranch has such a long history with craft and craft-oriented practices.
How do you describe your artistic practice?
“A murmur from the ruins echo softly as the roots undo and the branch becomes…”.
What role does art play in your life?
Art, I am realizing, plays an multivalent and compounded role as a mentor, a therapist, a father, a lover, a brother. This dynamic parallels most of my relationships.
When do you make art in the studio?
I save the morning for reading, writing, and drawing. I am the most direct and articulate in the morning so it’s a perfect time to write emails and correspond with friends and collaborators. Drawing and ceramics are good for the morning because of how much more physical and direct I am at this time. The afternoons I work on more monotonous things like preparing material, drawing and masking the paintings and building the frames for the walls.
How do you spend your time when not working in the studio?
I put a lot of emphasis on personal health – sleeping, eating, psycho-therapy, and yoga.
What intrigues you in the art world today?
The persona and performance in the art world are pretty interesting. Because a lot of my work talks about effect in body language, I stay attuned to how that functions in the commercial art world and how relationships are made and broken.
What artists do you most identify with?
Sterling Ruby, William J. O’Brien, Amanda Ross-Ho, Aaron Curry, Christopher Wool and Wade Guyton.
What is your favorite part about Anderson Ranch?
My studio is large and that luxury isn’t something to be taken for granted. Also, people put a huge emphasis on food and eating here which is something important and familiar to me.
