Artist Statement

My paintings orbit the concept of Dionysian Intoxication, an idea presented by Friedrich Nietzsche in The Birth of Tragedy. My interpretation of this concept is that the act of creating offers serenity, excusing one from taking life too seriously. As an artist I accept that most human pursuits and concerns are ultimately unimportant. Most individuals make no difference to the overall course of humanity.  Despite this we value individual humans and their actions above almost everything. This is something of a paradox in which meaningless acts have an innate worth. This paradox is the foundation of my paintings. The figures I paint either pursue or reflect upon a purpose that is not apparent, engaging in the absurd, whimsical world in the wake of Dionysian Intoxication. Within these parameters I am increasingly interested in the creation of a beautiful painterly surface. I seek to find a balance between the illusory and physical qualities of oil paint in order to create absurd, beautiful and pointless objects.

​