About Me
I am an unapologetically queer and neurodivergent artist, constantly striving to satiate my inner child through a range of mediums. From childhood, I have been obsessed with drawing portraits, and this has long been the core of my practice. I consider all of my work to be portraiture, even pieces without human subjects - I love exploring how to raise mundane objects to a religious standard through hyper realism. Indulging in the process of making work with incredible detail has always been therapeutic to me, and a way to profess my love for Baroque period art.
My practice has been inspired by my own personal exploration of Hauntology and Liminal Spaces as a way of reflecting on my childhood experiences, and making peace with the versions of myself that will never exist. My work challenges the philosophies of Jacques Derrida and Mark Fischer, exploring the comfort found when revelling in nostalgia, and how we can make peace with the ghosts of our past.
By combining my more classical practice of realism and portraiture with internet culture and early 2000s aesthetics, my art aims to resonate with other 20-something-year-olds who are trying to make sense of the past, present, and future. By juxtaposing ideas from opposite ends of the art world, my work induces a unique perspective on nostalgia. It also provides a space for me to indulge in a personal exploration of grieving my childhood, learning to play again, and trying to make peace with my younger self.
My Journey as an Artist
Whilst I have not been a professional practicing artist for many years, I have been making art for all of my life.
As a child, my dream job was to be a story book author and illustrator - I studied GCSE Art, and whilst I went on to study Physics, Film and Maths at college, I always kept a sketchbook and was constantly painting and making art.
During college, due to poor physical and mental health, I decided not to pursue science, but went to university to study film studies instead. After doing a year of Film, I completed 3 years of Media Studies at the University of Kent with a First Class honours and with the best mark in my cohort.
Due to the structure of my course, I was able to partake in Photography and Art History Modules, and wrote my final year dissertation, "Comfort in the Discomfort: Why do artists push the boundaries of acceptability and provoke audiences through transgressive representations of the human body, and why are we drawn to them?". Between writing this, conversations with my supervisor and the vast amount of reading I did, it became clear to me that I had to study more art, and in September 2024 I began my studies at UCA for a Fine Art Masters, where I will graduate in 2026.