ARTWORK
Wastelands - Land formation III and IV - oil on cradled board | 2017
Growing up on the Eastern Shore, an area that is highly susceptible to environmental change, I have always been interested in the world that surrounds us; how we are connected to it, shape it, alter it and represent it. My scientific and artistic background led me to create paintings that introspectively explored the long-standing tradition of landscape oil painting. This series was also a means for me to understand and engage with two approaches to critical thinking.
The process of researching and painting yielded insight into science and art’s influence on my societal views and attitudes towards natural landscapes. These paintings are windows into my way of thinking and making sense of the world. The paintings do not criticize or correct the beliefs or viewpoints of others. Rather, they explore my own values and views on the world to better understand my relation and moral obligations to nature. Through this process, I hoped to help viewers contemplate our effects on the environment, by shedding light on our modern environmental dilemmas.
Recollect - Memorial 3.11.17 - Inkjet prints on polyester chiffon, wood | 2018
This installation of images, which I created during my Aunspaugh Fellowship, is an exploration of intimacy through the screen of memory. I used photographs of the human body, which I cropped, and layered together, to evoke the ambiguous, dreamlike, moments of being with another in which it is hard to decipher where one body ends and the other begins. The repetition of fading images, one into the next, considers how we remember the experience of being with another.
The viewer’s experience was dependent on where they stood in relation to the installation; the images shifted as the viewer moved through the installation. The images floated out in space, which created the illusion of weightlessness and allowed the installation the ability to oscillate. This let light pass through the sheer fabric, so the transparent images could be seen. Additionally, the cast shadows embodied the weight that is attached to these ephemeral memories and experiences.
COOKING
Cheese, Charcuterie, and More!
Preparing nightly meals with my mom sparked my passion for cooking. I take pride in producing new twists on family recipes, influenced by my Spanish heritage. I love sharing stories and laughs with great company over a delicious meal. Tortilla Española is my bread and butter!
After graduating from UVA in 2017, my interests in food and cooking led me to work in the service industry, specifically in kitchens at various businesses. During my fellowship in 2017, I worked part-time at The Juice Laundry, an organic juice and smoothie bar that also specialized in several vegan food options such as chili, salads, rice bowls, and soups. From June 2018 to March 2019, I worked at Tillman's Cheese and Wine, a boutique shop/restaurant specializing in unique wines and cheeses from around the world. I worked on recipe development: creating new recipes, menu and retail items at both businesses.
MOSAICS
An Old Classic, Reborn! (That's me in the 3rd photo)
At the age of 16, I started a full-time summer job at New Ravenna Mosaics Inc., a locally owned business in the neighboring town of Exmore and America’s premier designer and manufacturer of stone and glass mosaics. I learned the timeless craft of hand-making mosaics, which varied from micro to large-scale mosaics, upwards in dimensions of 20 x 30 feet.
It was hard physical labor and I worked 55 hours a week during my first summer; however, by working at New Ravenna I was able to expose myself to a new medium and new techniques. The following two summers I worked as a Junior Designer in the design department. I collaborated with many talented designers who taught me the process of designing and producing mosaics. I learned how to fulfill clients’ expectations while staying true to my artistic viewpoint.