14 x 14” acrylic on paper
This series of drawings is influenced by the “red shifting” of photographic prints that occurred in the late 1970s and early 1980s due to the instability of the paper and dyes used in some print processes at the time. With that in mind, I use a combination of odd scenes and physical struggles to capture a side of the American character experiencing the effects of a shifting environment— both physical and cultural that results in a feeling of absurdity and a dark sense humor; a space where both crisis and play intersect. Moments involving individuals or groups and their points of connection are belied by a sense of disconnect, subverting an otherwise pleasant scene. These narratives present an ambivalence to surreal, symbolically threatening poolside creatures, turning somewhat mundane circumstances into revelatory glimpses of the world and the people around us.