Artist Statement

I am a digital illustrator who is interested in exploring my market potential and the interpersonal connections that my art can create. The internet has granted artists a platform to expand and share their work with those of similar interests, and I’ve been fortunate enough to grow through my artwork tied to popular culture. The medium that I work in currently is digital, but I hope to branch out into printmaking because I have come to enjoy the process, and the idea of large-scale production translates well. Visually, my work consists of digital paintings and stylized character illustrations and comics. I never recreate preexisting scenes directly from the media I am referencing; I am only influenced by their existing designs so the settings and composition are decided by myself.

I am interested in creating merchandise of my artwork, whether it be personal or fan made because of my own personal relationship with art. As someone who grew up in a low-income household, I know how much of a luxury art can be. Since I was a teenager, I have been accumulating charms, prints, and merchandise from several artists and sources, and this collection offers a lot of insight into my artistic process today. I want to be able to share my work in a way that is inexpensive and accessible to my audience because I hope to inspire others in the same way.

For me, the most important part of my artwork is the social connections that I can create through sharing and merchandising my artwork. I am also interested in a visual style that does not conform to the standards of fine art. Through my practice I make the conscious decision to avoid placing my work in a gallery setting because for me, art is meant to live out in the world. I want my art to breathe, to be adorned, to be lived with, to be leaned on.