Revised artist statement

My work is propelled by an interest in storytelling as a context for exploring various questions and restructurings of spirituality, psychological constructs and divisions, and the resulting interactions between what are viewed as internal and external realities. This investigation combines with a strong personal aesthetic – with influences rooted in western traditions of contemporary graphic novels and Belle Epoque illustration – in the creation of my work. Though bookmaking is a central focus in the execution of my narrative, its expression is not limited to the page, but rather has come to encompass an immersive series of illustrative and sculptural works: the media I use ranges from oil, pen and ink, two- and three-dimensional collage, felt, and found objects. The physically layered arrangement and relationship of these various elements mimics the quality of the narrative itself, which incorporates ambiguity, personal archetypes, and puns to allow interpretation through multiple layers of meaning.