I am a painter who uses the classical tradition of oil and acrylic painting as a gateway for exploring modern class consciousness. My subject matter—ranging from thrift store finds to grocery aisle scenes, all drenched in the hues of everyday "low class" life—is my resistance against the negative societal connotations associated with these scenes. Growing up below the poverty line in the Missouri Ozarks, my aesthetic senses were shaped not by art school theories but by the vivid, unapologetic colors of Tinker Bells, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, and Mountain Dew sodas. These were my first loves, my escape.
College, which I attended on a running scholarship, wasn't just about building towards a profession; it was a crash course in class identity. The very symbols of my childhood, once sources of joy, became markers of a class I was supposed to leave behind. This realization sparked my journey, both as an artist moving out of poverty through my work and as a person grappling with internalized classism. I focused on the intersection of class and gender with my work, especially the invisible burdens carried by poor women judged for their distance from societal standards of visual and cultural capital.
By blending the bold colors often dismissed as queer, feminine, or simply tasteless with the tradition of painting, I challenge the divide between "high" and "low" culture. My work is as much a nod to pop culture and the fading trends of mass-produced goods as it is an exploration of contemporary painting techniques—seen through the lens of a childhood marred by poverty, reminiscent of the raw reality depicted in The Florida Project (2017).
Through this melding of themes, I aim to weave a narrative that transcends class, gender, and the rural American experience, turning the incongruent into a coherent, vibrant tapestry.
