Madison, WI ARTIST STATEMENTMy work references and incorporates historic techniques such as gilding, silverpoint and painting on wood panels or works on paper to explore the strong connection once held between organized religion and fine art. I create figurative paintings to tell stories about how modern-day art can be viewed as a kind of religion, and narratives that blend personal biography with biblical stories, lives of the saints, and other tales that can be viewed as fiction or dogma. In addition to using my work to tell stories, I am intrigued by the way medieval artists used flattened picture planes, unrealistic perspective, and stylized figures to tell dramatic sagas. The metal gilding and intricate patterns created with lush colors are mesmerizing; and thus, my works pay homage to these medieval masterpieces.