I’ve always needed to make things. Painting lets me follow that pull—and when my work resonates with someone else, it's wonderful.
You decide who will appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display their work at The Art of Elysium's Salon!
I work between still life and portraiture, using both to explore what sits beneath the surface. Discards & Discovery pairs ordinary objects—often unrelated—to create tension and suggest meaning through contrast. Ink & Oil focuses on people who use tattoos as self-expression, capturing presence, gesture, and identity beyond the image. Both projects challenge the viewer to look beyond the surface — whether considering everyday objects or the people they meet.
Where do you find inspiration?I’m drawn to what’s overlooked—objects we pass by without noticing. A length of twine, a wilted flower, a worn tool. On their own, they’re quiet. Together, they start to speak. My work is built on these unlikely pairings, where contrast creates tension and meaning begins to emerge. I’m not looking to illustrate an idea so much as uncover one. The process is a kind of discovery—following visual instincts and letting the relationships between objects suggest something unexpected.
What would you do with $25,000?I would use the funds to push the work further and create a collaborative exhibition—bringing together artists whose work challenges assumptions and invites closer looking.
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