My practice is rooted in a deliberate tension between aesthetic pleasure and intellectual critique. Utilizing a “sweet style with a salty subtext,” my work functions as a visual Trojan Horse. By employing a decorative style—often historically dismissed as merely ornamental, I lure the viewer into a space of comfort before confronting them with complexities of social and cultural reality.
My approach consciously subverts the traditional hierarchy of art. By embedding profound social philosophy within patterns through symbols, I elevate “Decorative Art” to a vehicle for big ideas, challenging the notion that beauty and intellect are mutually exclusive. Furthermore, by placing commentaries within a decorative framework, my work suggests that global issues such as politics, technology, and the environment, inevitably seep into our most private, domestic spaces. No environment is truly neutral; the “mask” of civility is often rendered in symmetrical, golden order.
My canvas paintings are often mistaken for fabric or collage, however, they are integrated, single-surface compositions executed solely with paint (oil & acrylic). I work directly on a solitary canvas to create a seamless visual field, eschewing any use of appliqué or external attachments. By maintaining this continuous, unified plane, I emphasize the rhythmic flow of decorative patterns and the systemic repetition that underscores the deeper complexity of the symbology. My technique, which combines a form of printmaking with traditional painting, is self-developed over 8 years of exploration.
My conceptual framework extends into public art through site-specific interventions; exemplified by my 2020 Lincoln Road windows (Miami Beach), where I transformed 24 vacant storefronts with unique wallpaper installations, turning the liminal spaces of the pandemic into a platform for visual storytelling. My commitment to documenting social histories is further seen in my “Seen the Queen?” street art graffiti collages, where I combined hand drawn portraits with vintage wallpaper to honor the drag culture of Miami.
My work is represented in private and permanent collections, including Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Museum and Coral Gables Museum. I collaborate with institutions including the Miami City Ballet, Oolite Arts, Lincoln Road Improvement District and Timeout.
