Connect What is your favorite type of art to create?

I am a painter. Each of my paintings carries a layered history—countless marks sacrificed, covered, and obscured-- a continual search for balance and conversation. I see painting as an act of alchemy and the distillation of thought. Some of my works capture places or people, while others move through an imagined world where mark-making and meaning interact. My painting practice has a buoyancy that carries me through a world that often makes a lot of noise and not a lot of sense.

Where do you find inspiration?

I am chasing honesty and authenticity. I am inspired by my fellow painters, out there in the world, making works that sing, works that provoke emotion and conversation. I am moved by the curve of a branch, the morphing of a cloud and the beauty in decay. I am inspired by the subtle things, the unnoticed and overlooked. And then, most foundationally, is the wealth of influence from my deeply creative family whos' work drives me everyday.

What would you do with $25,000?

I would utilize the prize money to scale up the size of my paintings. As a scenic artist I was trained to paint BIG however such an operation can be cost prohibitive - this would include retrofitting my existing studio to manage larger works -- from wall mounting extra large canvases to building storage capable of handling larger works. With what remains I would fund my time, giving myself time in my studio. Time is expensive and as artists we are always looking for ways to leverage more of it.