Artist Residency 2022

From July to September 2022, I was awarded the gift of space and time while embarking on my first Artist Residency at Mana Contemporary. Courtesy of the Monira Foundation and ArtLeadHer.

These pieces paint a reflection of my time spent between the electrifying energy of Brooklyn, Manhattan, Harlem, Jersey City and all the side streets in between. I was given the opportunity to create in a large, light-filled studio, within a building of artists and dancers. Although I didn’t go into my time there with an idea in mind, my only thought was to allow my curiosity, my questions, my discomfort, doubt and excitement to get the most creative parts of me.

Setting The Pace *

Acrylic, pastel on 30” x 44” x 1.5” canvas

Restorative Rest

Restorative Rest a practice I had to be even more intentional about while living within a city that never sleeps. Sometimes rest is free flowing, sometimes it must be intentional and structured within one’s schedule.

Acrylic, pastel, charcoal on 52” x 45” x 1.25” canvas

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It Still Stands

Acrylic, pastel, charcoal on 70” x 57” (unstretched) canvas

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In My Urban Garden

Loosely based off of the garden / park across the street from my studio. A small green space enclosed by flowers of all kinds, particularly inspired by the tall sunflowers being kissed by the bees. I would often escape to this green space for fresh air, for clarity, for focus, for peace.

Acrylic, pastel, charcoal on 19.75” x 23.5” loose canvas

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sketchbook pages

Mixed media on paper

City Study, 1

Acrylic, pastel, charcoal on 16” x 20” paper

City Study, 2

Pastel, acrylic on 16” x 20” paper

City Study, 3

Acrylic, pastel on 16” x 20” paper

Part of the Monira Foundation collection

Release and Control

These collage paintings became an ode to my years making scrapbooks and collages for friends, my formal training in Graphic Design, but more importantly a great release as I navigated my way through the hustle and highly stimulated cities of New York City and Jersey City. With all the energy and emotions that come with a new city, new studio environment, and new (& at times, uncomfortable) way of creating, having a pile of “scrap” canvas to play, shape, and quickly control brought me a new joy for the process. Each piece of the collage was puzzled together by happenstance or possibility, forming a composition that turned out to be both playful and structured.

Roughly 6” x 7” and framed wood framed or mounted on a 4” x 6” x 7/8” wood panel, floating from the wall and leaving its edges exposed and threads hanging.

From the start of my Residency, I noticed this butterfly-like bug recklessly flying around every time I'd make it to Jersey City. I soon discovered that it was a Spotted Lanternfly- a bug that is harmful to the ecosystem of the area, come to find out. There were posters and warnings to kill them whenever you see them and it was funny to see adults and children across Jersey City and NYC call them out and smash them once spotted. A team effort, really. I felt like I needed to make an ode to the pesky insect.