The Statement:
The myth seems to have lost its place in modern vernacular. Legends of old were of monster slayers, and I think many modern humans have lost touch with that. It requires knowing fear, risking violence, experiencing devastation, and willingness to lose everything. Putting it all on the line for the opportunity of something better.
This gamble is all or nothing.
As artists, we enter the abyss. We don’t know if, when or how we will return with a finished piece. When I travel through the abyss, I bring back the experience represented in a visual format.
The Story:
My journey in the Arts is a nontraditional route. Like most who graduate high school I was exposed to some art classes, it was there I discovered a gift for ceramics. That was abruptly placed on the back burner when I joined the US Army, where I spent 11 years in service. After my service as a Combat Veteran I worked in a variety of places doing a myriad of things, none of which were my calling.
In 2020, I was exposed to Art Therapy while in the spinal cord recovery clinic of a Veteran's Affairs hospital. This experience opened my mind to the possibility of becoming an Artist. Reflecting on my life's journey until that point, I believe it was life humbling me to see the opportunity that art brings.
At that point, I made a decision. I enrolled in 2021 as a student at Texas A&M Commerce to earn my Bachelor of Fine Arts, a studio arts degree.
Past Group Shows:
2023 Road Weary, Texas A&M Commerce Juried Student Show
2023 In My Head, Texas A&M Commerce Juried Student Show
2024 Netflix and Chill, Texas A&M Commerce Juried Student Show (Richard Serrano)