Artist Statement

One could easily create an artifact that represents an emotion, as a heart represents love. However, I’d rather create work that makes my audience experience authentic emotions. I want to awaken their empathy and an awareness of the inclusive nature of our existence through a communal experience of human emotions, even if it means being a little cheesy.

I believe this work is important because we live in a jaded time where snarky banter has replaced words of conviction; where sentimentality is undercut by humor; where content replaced art, and artists morphed into content creators; where it’s never been easier to connect and yet still feel so isolated.

I believe in the power of storytelling and art to reconnect us with what makes us uniquely human, especially in the context of communal art experiences like exhibits, live concerts, and theater. My work draws on and explores four major themes in my life:

Uplifting Marginalized Voices

I believe that society will heal and achieve new levels of harmony when we are all the benefactors of a diverse set of stories. As an agent of change, I seek opportunities to work with and create new work from artists of marginalized voices, especially the voices of Black men.

Exploration of Masculinity

Patriarchy and white supremacy have shaped a narrow conversation of masculinity and what it means to be a man. As we are in a time of transition that explores the social construct of gender, I hope to explore and broaden the notion of masculinity.

Family

I believe family is one of the most interesting and defining experiences we share as humans. So much of what we understand about the world, who we are, and where we go is directly correlated with our family.

Love

As a storyteller, I believe there is no greater force in all the universe than love. My work is always concerned with what is or isn’t loving and how being or not being loved shapes our decisions.