Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do.
I’m an artist and the operator of Gure.

Are there any influences that are core to your work?
I’ve been really interested in Charles Gaines’ work recently, specifically his thinking about systems.

How were you introduced to the medium(s) that you work with?
I’ve been working recently with tools specific to home construction sites. Thinking about recreating the act of blue-collar labor work led me to the medium I’m using for my current project.

You’ve been recently working with house paint in your practice. What’s your process like for creating these works? What have you been exploring with this series?
I’ve recently been working with house paint, drop cloth and laser engraving in my newest works. The process of creating the work starts with collecting the materials and images. The images I use are sourced from google maps throughout the years of 2009-2022. These years document the times between the recovery of the great recession and the rise of private development in the south side of St. Louis. I’m interested in exploring the aesthetic changes that occur during gentrification.

Do you have any rituals when you settle in to your studio?
A new ritual I began is rearranging my studio based on the project I’m creating. It helps me clear my mind and transition to the next project.

You operate the exhibition space Gure. How did it begin & what has it been like to operate this space?
Gure (pronounced goo-ray) started as a project to keep me engaged with and expand my artist community after graduating. It serves as a place for experimentation, exploration and collaboration.  It’s been a rewarding experience that has taught me practical skills about the business but more importantly the ways in community engagement and championing artist voices.

You’ve recently hosted the first leg of a gallery exchange with Brussels-based Agnes Offshore. How did you connect, plan and carry out this project with the curator Robert?
The current exhibition hosted by Agnes Offshore came from a connection of a shared experience I and Robert have running alternative exhibition spaces and wanting early on to do international shows. Planning the show became easy once we connected on the idea.

How do you manage tending to the variety of responsibilities in the work you do? How do you mitigate burnout or exhaustion?
I manage tending the various responsibilities of the work I do as to avoid burnout by leaning on collaboration.

How do you see your work evolving in parallel to things that are going on around you right now?
My work evolves parallel to the current struggle of people being displaced from their communities.

What do you collect?

I’m really into artist sketchbook pages and zines. I  like that these are snapshots of not just the work the artists are making but their process. I have a collection of artist friend’s drawings/paintings in my sketchbook over the years that are my favorite.

Portrait photographed by Josephine Pasquarelli.
Exhibition documentation by Chloe Harthan.
Interviewed by Luca Lotruglio.