My artwork revolves around the time-intensive act of cutting intricate patterns using a utility knife. As I cut out each shape and line by hand, my creative process transforms into a meditative act as my hands perform the repetitive motions required by my art. By the time I finish an artwork, my hands ache and I have more callouses than I can count, but like most meditation, I am rewarded with more awareness and clarity, both results I consider an essential part of my art.
I’m fascinated by the concepts of revelation, visions, and how spiritual experiences intersect with our physical environment. These incidents are difficult to explain and often disregarded, which is why I find them so intriguing. Using designs from illuminated manuscripts, architecture, and other sacred objects, I represent these experiences by cutting patterns into landscapes and portraits. The cut-out pattern interferes with the representational imagery, obstructing the seen with the unseen. Despite the patterns’ clearly defined edges, they are comprised of negative space and ultimately invisible, like the experiences they represent.