Painting pulls me out of pain. I live through my subjects, and I know I’m here to create art that brings light and makes people smile.
You decide who will appear in Artforum Magazine, take home $25,000, and display their work at The Art of Elysium's Salon!
I’m drawn to creating emotion-driven work—capturing moments people feel deeply but don’t always have words for. I’m less interested in perfect representation and more focused on what lives beneath the surface: connection, tension, stillness, and movement.
Where do you find inspiration?I find inspiration in the quiet, in-between moments—where something shifts emotionally but isn’t always visible on the surface. It often comes from lived experience, memory, and the way people connect, move, or simply exist in a space. I’m drawn to those fleeting moments that are felt more than spoken, and I try to hold onto them long enough to translate them into something visual.
What would you do with $25,000?I would use it to create space—physically and creatively—to deepen my work. That includes investing in a dedicated studio, stronger materials, and the time to explore without rushing. Part of it would also expand where I can go; having the right equipment would allow me to reach places and perspectives I currently can’t access and bring those moments into my work. I’d also invest in sharing the work more intentionally and reaching a wider audience.
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