INSPIRATIONS AND THOUGHTS ABOUT THE ROCK CANDY COLLECTION

The title Rock Candy came about over a series of weeks exploring two specific types of rock formations. Sedimentary rocks (ex: coal, limestone, sandstone) are created layer after layer, over generations, as particles (often of sand, dead plants, and bones) drift through bodies of water that eventually dry up and compact. Metamorphic rocks (ex: marble, granite, quartz) are formed from other rocks that undergo intense pressure and heat. Through time or intensity, often both, new things are created.

I connected to these types of creation as it felt familiar to how we navigate through life.

I began to sit with the idea that times of pressure/resistance/fear could ironically be beneficial in some way because they bring us to another side. The other side holding a new sense of truth, and allows an experience for us to come through somehow more whole and developed. What happens in that space between A to B? How do you cope in these times of hardship? What small things do you appreciate in your day-to-day? How do you show up for yourself when you need to? All these questions are explored through this body of work.

I want these abstract paintings to be a reminder for the viewer to reflect on the paths taken to get to where they are today, understanding that each choice has been a detail to their larger story. Using the raw edge of torn paper, the overlaying of paint, and the real or created shadows, a sense of time and history is developed. The outcome is textured and layered. Each painting begins with a base covering of recycled papers adhered to the surface and then sanded, painted on, and etched away. From there the layering continues with new marks, each more decisive and bold than the next. The process of building up and tearing down is similar to an excavation revealing the underlayers and honors the history of the piece. Color choices are made to reflect a specific mood or experience, which is hinted at in the title of the work. The longer you sit with a piece the more you come to understand the making and the history, the beauty in the chaos.