Could you tell us more about yourself and what you do?

I’m an artist currently living in Chicago. I grew up in Texas, moved here for undergrad and graduated from SAIC in 2020. I primarily make paintings, occasionally do some sculpture and have organized art and music shows in the past. 

Could you describe your practice?

I’m primarily interested in consumption, iconography and abstraction and combining them all together through painting. When I first started painting I was really influenced by abstract expressionism, which has made me really prioritize the process of painting. 

My paintings recently have these heavily built up backgrounds. I usually start all of my paintings on the floor, I use a lot of different pouring methods and other applications such as shoes, mops, hairbrushes, tape, makeup applicators- mostly staying away from brushes when I can to create marks that result from less conventional methods of painting. I typically use collage and painting after I finish the background in order to build whatever image I’m trying to depict . 

I’ve always been drawn to working large. Once you get past 6 feet, you really have to move your body around to get around the whole canvas, and it becomes a lot more physical. I’m really particular about color and always am looking up hex codes and swatching specific colors before I use them. I work really flat, work in layers and stay away from mixing colors mostly unless I’m going from light to dark or spray painting.

It’s a pretty specific process that’s still evolving, but has been consistent with time. I think it’s important in painting to try to challenge yourself and switch things up as much as possible, in order to grow and not get stagnant. 

What/who is influencing your work right now?

Trash on the street, monster trucks, Chicago, Convenience stores, human interaction with nature, medicine, airlines, shipping companies, cartoons, seasons, internet, transportation and news are some things that either typically influence my work or that I’m thinking about right now. 

As far as art and painting, I’ve been looking at a lot of Alex Katz landscapes since I’ve been painting a lot more depictions of objects in nature. His paintings are pretty flat in regards to color like mine, and he renders landscapes beautifully. I’m always going back to Katherine Bernhardt, Mark Bradford, and Phillip Guston’s work. I’ve also been looking at Despina Stokou, Ashley Bickerton, Chris Martin, Markus Oehlen, Brian Belott, Caitlin Cherry and Aaron Curry’s work recently. 

What are the main motifs in your work? 

Products, companies, cans, cars, medicine, cartoon characters, modes of transportation, vehicles- I’m mainly interested in information that’s constantly being fed through the internet and my surroundings, but diving further I’m interested in how goods and necessities are marketed and the impact they have beyond that. 

Products and services are always advertised to improve our lives, using crazy marketing, oftentimes creating entire lifestyles revolving around something so simple. Specifically thinking of companies such as Monster Energy and JUUL’s early campaigns- using attractive packaging, finding people with large social media presences to push their products out.  It’s especially notable with companies selling products that aren’t necessarily healthy, often they’re using really intense tactics to make themselves appealing and attractive, and it works. 

I’m also thinking about the dependency and impact different tech and drug companies have; the services we can’t really live without feel like they have no ceiling to their power. 

Everything I’m thinking about has some sort of cost whether it be financial, physical or emotional, that feels inescapable. I’m painting large, abstract reflections of all of these ideas. They’re loud and appealing on the surface, but are also anxiety ridden and just end up becoming giant, fucked up mirrors of what is being presented. 

What was the last exhibition or show you saw that stuck out to you?

I went to New York in June, and a couple of painting shows that stood out to me were Cecily Brown’s exhibition at the Met and Jo Messer’s show at 56 Henry. In Chicago, Mark Fingerhut’s Halcyon Ride at Sulk was really unlike anything I’ve seen before. 

 What do you wish more art looked like?

As a viewer, art that is both well executed well and feels new. It’s always good to see something that feels genuine and original, and that isn’t copying or following trends. 

What are you listening to right now?

Jeff Mills, Mutant Joe, Viper Diva. I usually like to play fast-tempoed music when I’m working. 

What’s your studio like?

Currently I’m in a studio downtown that a friend of mine is subleasing to me while he’s out of town until the end of the year. I feel really fortunate to be in here, It’s a live/work and I have a lot of room right now. Since I like to work big I’m usually just constantly moving things aside to give myself as much space on the floor and wall as possible.

What do you want a viewer to walk away with after seeing your work?

I don’t have any set expectations for the viewer. I’d like to think the work speaks for itself, but I always hope the viewer can relate to the subject matter to some degree and that they enjoy the painting! 

What are your favorite and least favorite things about Chicago? 

Favorite: That it’s more affordable than New York and Los Angeles, easy to get around, summer.

Least Favorite: The art community is much smaller than they are in New York and Los Angeles, taking the train during rush hour, winter.

Could you talk a little bit about your involvement with Yew Nork?

I moved into a storefront in 2022 and decided to start Yew Nork. I’ve directed other apartment galleries in the past, and wanted to take a break from painting at the time. I had three shows in the apartment and recently did a show with Justin D’Acci at Sulk. 

I always enjoy giving the opportunity for other artists to show their work. I think it’s a rewarding and important way to contribute to the art community. As an artist, It’s a way for me to get out of the studio and be more social, and talking to others and curating shows has definitely informed my own practice. 

Right now, I’m focusing on my own work but I hope to be able to do more with Yew Nork in the future. 

What are some recent, upcoming or current projects you are working on?

Right now I have nothing planned.  I’m in my studio for two more months, after that, I’m moving to Texas for a bit and then to California by the fall or winter next year. My main priority right now is working in my studio, having people come visit, and figuring out what my next move will be after that. 

 

All images courtesy of the artist. Interview conducted and edited by Emma Kang James.