My favorite type of art to create lives with abstraction and figuration, where recognition and ambiguity coexist. I paint both abstract and figurative works, often blending the two, because I’m drawn to that tension where an image feels familiar yet resists being fully defined. My goal is not to replicate what is seen, but to create my own vision something that may resemble reality at first glance yet ultimately reveals itself as something entirely different.

I find inspiration in a combination of my surroundings and the long lineage of artists who came before me. The world around me is a constant source of visual and emotional input the light at different times of day, the movement of people, the energy of a city or the quiet tension of a still moment. Even the smallest details textures, colors, fleeting expressions can spark an idea or shift the direction of a painting.

If awarded $25,000, I would invest it directly into expanding my practice and creating a body of work that pushes both scale and vision forward. A portion would go toward securing studio space that allows me to work on larger paintings without limitation, giving me the freedom to fully explore both abstract and figurative ideas at a higher level. I would also invest in materials and tools that support longevity and quality, also the funding would be used to produce a printed book of my artworks.