Artist Statement

My artwork imaginatively captures the essence of life. The main focus is on the raw energy of the object and evoking a surrealist and abstract perspective. My creative process attempts to transport the viewer to the emotional state I was in while creating the piece. My main medium of choice is watercolors, which remind me of the fluidity of our cosmos. As such, I call my art studio Kosumosu--which means cosmos in Japanese. This name is a reflection of my creative process because as an artist, my style and perception are in frequent motion and growth.

My current project is “The Cats of The Netherlands.” This is a series of 5“x7” watercolors of stray cats from various cities in The Netherlands. This is an on-going series with thirteen finished pieces. Each watercolor is a rendering of a photograph taken while I visited The Netherlands. I began documenting the cats and their different personalities. I attempted to capture their stories, which is how this series began. Other collections of my work include scenes from nature, people, and self-portraits from over the years. Most of my pieces incorporate watercolors, inks, and sketches.

Art is a wonderful way of expressing thoughts and ideas. It is my way of communicating my emotions. Hardships are when I am most creative and because of this, art has been a form of therapy and my constant support. My painting style is not calculated--I intuitively gravitate towards the colors I want to see take life in the piece. As an artist, I enjoy using exciting color combinations and creating new styles. My creative process begins with sketching an object from either a live model or from a photograph that I have taken. Using this method keeps me emotionally invested in my subject. I ink an outline of the sketch and gradually add base colors. It is only after this step that I begin to incorporate the colors I naturally gravitate towards, ending up with an exciting, abstract new painting.