My work is inspired by both my attraction to the aesthetics of Pop Art and my exposure to the world of design, patterning, and the subtleties of color. While interning at York Wallcoverings, I was introduced to the processes used to create fabric, wallpaper, and borders. It was intriguing to see how a simple image could be repeated and modified to make patterns and how colors could be manipulated to entirely change the look of the completed project. It was during my time at York Wallcoverings that I began producing colored pencil work involving the patterning of various objects, including boxes of chocolate, oranges, eggs, and carrots.
The objects included in my work are simple, often mundane, subjects that are repeated and arranged in patterns to create something greater than the sum of the parts. The objects selected are unambiguously recognizable in an attempt to make my work feel more accessible to the viewer. For this reason, I began incorporating various types of food into my drawings. Using food allowed me to pattern with objects that would be recognizable to individuals of all ages and from many cultures and backgrounds. While in college, the resource I found to be most taken for granted was the food provided by the college cafeteria. By creating my patterned drawings with normal, everyday objects, I hope to make my viewer see the beauty in these common items.
Using colored pencil allows me to further the patterning included in my artwork; the nature of this medium allows my pencil strokes to form a pattern of their own. In addition to the layering of colors, I often use other materials in my work, including paper, sheets of foam, and bits of plastic. Portions of the drawing are often elevated, giving the piece a three-dimensional effect. This combination of materials adds an extra layer of depth to my work and allows me to play with patterning in a way that goes beyond the composition of my drawing. I want the viewer to take a step closer to each drawing to realize that not only do the objects at the forefront of the composition create a pattern, but so do the textures, colors, and lines in the background. I hope to show the viewer that while at first glance my work appears to consist of common objects merely repeated and arranged, each piece is actually a more complex entity of layers that all contribute to the final work of art.