Revealing, concealing, and reinventing truths are central to my art making process. The act of drawing lends itself to this revealing/concealing process, which is clearly apparent in the way my drawings are “overdrawn”.  This method becomes symbolic of the moments I am searching out; moments where the portraits begin to reveal death or loss under a sentimental façade of beauty.   In my drawings and prints I question how we categorize ourselves and relate to one another through a veil of romanticized history.

I use historical photographs of the rural southeast as a reference and departure point.  Stereotypically, these photographs have been used to express ideas of family, community, and a dedication to a way of life that has often resulted in heartbreak.   The images I create reflect that same sentiment as they become icons of human sacrifice and they confront us with our own mortality.  Extracting the figures from their original environment is important because it allows us to honestly consider implied class structures, historical references, and preconceived stereotypes in both a historical and contemporary context.  This allows 150 year old images to have present-day relevance to current issues of betrayal, tragedy, deceit, and sacrifice.