Becoming Whole started with a simple question: what would happen if I followed my curiosity?
Curiosity 1: Folk Art
This collection of art grew from my fascination with folk art. I wanted to develop a body of work that referenced folk traditions while leaning into whimsy and story. My aim became to create a visual world that felt like a storybook. A body of work that evoked the feeling of old folk tales while also feeling fresh and new. | Pictured: Twin
Journey into Mixed Media
To achieve this sense of story and connection, I decided to take a mixed media approach. I pulled aesthetic notes from traditional folk crafts like Rosemaling and quilting and combined them with my own style. | Pictured: Stargazer
Fiber Arts
Fiber arts have always felt maternal to me, and became an important media for the show. My grandma R’Lou taught me how to embroider; my mom taught me how to sew. There’s something about needle and thread that gives me a sense of rootedness and place. As I worked, it made sense to embrace more feminine design and style. | Pictured: Belonging
Curiosity 1: Folk Art
This collection of art grew from my fascination with folk art. I wanted to develop a body of work that referenced folk traditions while leaning into whimsy and story. My aim became to create a visual world that felt like a storybook. A body of work that evoked the feeling of old folk tales while also feeling fresh and new. | Pictured: Twin
Journey into Mixed Media
To achieve this sense of story and connection, I decided to take a mixed media approach. I pulled aesthetic notes from traditional folk crafts like Rosemaling and quilting and combined them with my own style. | Pictured: Stargazer
Fiber Arts
Fiber arts have always felt maternal to me, and became an important media for the show. My grandma R’Lou taught me how to embroider; my mom taught me how to sew. There’s something about needle and thread that gives me a sense of rootedness and place. As I worked, it made sense to embrace more feminine design and style. | Pictured: Belonging
Reimagining the Midwest
Midwest imagery has always been an inspiration for me. I enjoy using local plants and animals as subject matter for my artwork. Much of the imagery and colors I use have personal significance to me.
Owls
Many of the animals I use have personal meaning to me. I use owls in my artwork to symbolize finding strength in the darkness.
Cadmium Red Light
This particular shade of red is one I gravitate to repeatedly. It's the same shade of red that my family uses for our cow's ear tags, and carries a sense of personal identity.
Native Prairie Plants
I love exploring different ways to study and stylize the local plants of the prairie.
Why Jackalopes
As I worked, jackalopes became an important motif. There’s something so delightful about a mythical creature combining an antelope and a jackrabbit of all things. An assemblage of two seemingly disparate pieces into one weirdly delightful whole. And I think in so many ways I’m a similar amalgamation of disparate pieces: joy and sorrow; cowardice and courage; despair and relentless hope.
Celebrating Where I Come From
Artwork gives me a unique way to celebrate living in South Dakota while also incorporating my other interests and passions. I believe that, by creating and sharing my artwork, I’m able to have an impact by expanding and experimenting with South Dakota iconography in new and fun ways. I think there’s so many ways that we could reinterpret what “Western” art can look like. No one is truly one-note, and I believe we’re each a rich blend of perspectives and cultural backgrounds.
Through my artwork, I’m able to form a distinct place for myself in the South Dakota art landscape, to celebrate its beauty while also celebrating my own unique perspective. My hope is that sharing my work, I’ll be able to impact and inspire others to do the same.
