I am a storyteller
thanks to my father. He is a comedian, which means I grew up in an environment
where theater, music and art surrounded me. My father used theater to express
his stories and I discovered fine art to express mine. Much of my artwork
consists of illustrations, storyboarding, and graphic novels. The sources for
my narratives derive mostly from real life. When visual art cannot fully
express every minute detail I switch to writing. Writing is an effective tool that
benefits my artwork simultaneously. I use writing to focus on small details in
a character or atmospheric mood that could be overlooked in artwork.
My creative
process consists of borrowing the identity of strangers I see. Their demeanor
particularly fascinates me. I find a way to incorporate into my artwork, basing
my characters on their essence. I would categorize the ‘stolen identities’ in my artwork, writing or both. It would depend
if their appearance grabs my attention or it was something they said. I
primarily focus on the relationships of people surrounding my life and use
different characters as manifestations of them. I then have the liberty to
place them in scenarios that best convey the commentary I am making. These characteristic
traits, emotions and beliefs are reflections of myself in the form as people.
Illustrating large pieces with a variety of people fascinates me. It is
interesting to me watching how the different personalities interact with each
other and observes how they adapt to conflicting situations I create. I materialize
stories that are based with internal, external conflicts with myself, and the
relationships of my family. Stories of; how my family betrays our grandmother
in order to get ahead in their town, the core traditional ideas seeded in me as
a child beginning to conflict with modern ideas, and realizing the emotionally
broken people who surround my life and how they cope with their baggage.
