Creation has been my fascination and muse for the last two years or longer, so it feels right to name my first collection: Creation Study. The collection feels like a dissertation or a reckoning of sorts, and I am so excited to finally be sharing this work with the world.
The pieces in this collection come from drawings found in my sketchbooks and pages ripped out of my journals - in which I have tried to make sense of creation, the creative process, and my place in all of it. They are all spontaneous drawings that I have refined minimally when bringing them through the woodblock carving and printing process.
While other mediums may provide an experience that is closer to instant gratification, I have found myself enchanted by the specific and slow process of woodblock printing. Each aspect of creating a piece takes long enough for me to be fully immersed in the specific tasks of that phase but not so long that I lose sight of what I am creating and my overall vision - essentially I trust that the next phase will come in its time. This knowing has made creating these pieces feel meditative and devotional.
When you see my art I want it to be clear that a human made what you are experiencing. I am not a machine and there is no place for perfection in my work, and I think that is what I like most about this art form. These pieces are my real work, and it is my prayer that because of this truth you will connect with them on a deeper level and really resonate with the messages they convey.
I am a community and self-taught artist. Getting to a point where I am able to share a whole collection of work feels really special, and I owe many thanks to Fireweed Community Woodshop for introducing me to this craft and creating a welcoming environment for me to experiment and try all kinds of making.
I also want to thank my grandmother for nonchalantly framing the linocut print I gave her in middle school. I remember being so surprised that she found it worthy of framing and hanging in her home at the time and only rediscovered the print and the memory after I began woodblock printing. Her simple act must have kept the artist spark in me burning until I was ready to fan it all these years later.
For the full viewing experience I recommend listening to the Spotify playlist I created to accompany the collection.
May this collection resonate with you and the creative force within you.