Magazine

How does your participation in Make-It-Pop! resonate with the exhibition's emphasis on vibrant colors, graphic styles, and ironic subject matters?
“Happy Bear” uses bright yellow, commonly used smiley faces prevalent in advertising, while “Rich Bear” features gold rhinestones and black shades inspired by comic book art. The irony is that both use cheap, mass produced materials in a way to make them appear expensive.

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What are your aspirations for viewers' takeaways from experiencing your artwork showcased at the Make-It-Pop! group exhibition at InLiquid Gallery?
My hope is that viewers will find the irony amusing and call into question our obsession with pursuing materialism.

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How did experiencing the culture and life of Rome and Tunisia alter and refine your artistic vision? 
In Rome, I was able to find beauty in the ordinary which inspired me to devote more attention to adding subtle details in my work. In Tunisia, the exotic plants and intricate patterns prevalent in its architecture, textiles, and jewelry greatly influenced my choice in artistic designs.

Your art is specifically created in a way that fights entrenched traditions that suppress unique viewpoints and innovative ways of perceiving the world. Do you feel pop art’s boldness helps that fight? And how do you represent this in your own work? 
Pop Art helps the fight because it purposely questions the financial and psychological
value of commonly recognized icons and mass produced materials. The way I usually
represent this in my own work is by portraying something common (roads, trees,
buildings, landscapes) in a surreal way to challenge the viewers' original perceptions.

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Your artistic expression stems from a quirky and optimistic choice in which you regard the world as vibrant, detailed, and gorgeous rather than stemming from a deep dark place, as you mentioned. How do your works convey those messages and beauties that are “ready to inspire”?
With bold colors and dreamlike patterns, my work is designed to be easily spotted from afar in order to draw viewers closer where they can then appreciate and get lost in the subtler details. Hopefully, this lets the viewer transcend their daily life and see the world through a much kinder eye.

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How has working in jewelry/sculptural forms intersected with your painting process?
Were there any specific challenges you faced or any aspects that you particularly enjoyed? 
I have only sculpted during a few classes back in art school so it’s been over a decade. As with paintings, my sculptures also focused on detailed patterns with bold color choices. Attaching the swirling cloud of money took many hours and was the hardest aspect in creating these sculptures. Despite the challenge, I discovered that I really enjoy creating small sculptures because they feel more alive and dynamic than paintings due to their three-dimensional nature.