This summer I was lucky enough to attend my first artist residency. High on a hill above the ancient Valle Camonica in the town of Cividate Camuno in Lombardy, surrounded by the majestic embrace of the Italian Alps, stands RUC. This mystical place is an ancestral home where artists from all over the world come to work in and be inspired by nature and history.
Artist Statement for "Nine" - A new body of work
Hand Painted Leather Jackets
I love to paint on apparel and wearing my art! Hand painted T-shirts, hand painted sneakers, hand painted denim jackets…all of these have been a part of my work for a long time. Still, I never contemplated painting on leather. Yet, when one of my long-time clients, who already owns a few denim jackets, asked me to custom paint a leather jacket, I couldn’t say no! The buttery feel of the leather proved to be my favorite and most unusual canvas yet.
Art and Life in the Time of Covid
It’s been six weeks since we’ve been quarantined and I’m feeling lucky for the privilege of being able to stay home. With everything happening in the world I know that art is not a priority for people. We are completely consumed with the news and the reality of our situation across the globe but I would argue that we need art now more than ever. We need to see things that make us feel something other than panic and fear and so we need to create and see things that will take us to far away places in our imaginations. For me personally it’s been an emotional rollercoaster thinking about everything that is happening, feeling the loss of so many people around the globe, and having so many drastic changes to my home and work life.
Hand Painted Sneakers
I love slip-on sneakers and have a few well-loved pairs for every day. They’re so easy! I bought a pair to experiment painting on and ended up buying a ton more!! I wanted to make colorful, wearable art as well as a few neutral pairs in an animal print and in black, white and silver. I am obsessed and I’m happy to say that a few clients walking around with my creations are, too!