Bloom

Artist Statement

“Bloom” is a culmination of my love to create and my artistic exploration. I chose a floral theme to symbolize how I feel that I’ve grown from my bud to a full blossom of curiosity and experimentation. Each skill I learn adds to my bouquet of knowledge building together a collection of creative, unique floral artwork. Additionally, I feel a close connection to flowers because it is a symbol of my mom and my relationship with her. Throughout my life, I’ve gotten to watch how my mom tended to her garden and see how much time and effort she put into nurturing it. Flowers have been a way for me to connect with my mom whether it be hanging out with her while she’s gardening, creating flower-based gifts, or bonding over sunflowers, my mom’s favorite flower.

Within my artwork, I delved into art mediums such as textiles, ceramics, photography, and painting. Through my exploration I discovered an affinity for fiber arts and felt very drawn to the repetitive motions that they bring. For me, textile art creates this cozy, relaxing feeling and I love the unique textures that I’m able to express. In my pieces, I often found myself drawn to vibrant colors selected to create harmonious color pallets.

Social media has made it easy for me to discover new artists, mediums, and techniques. Seeing what others make inspires me and gets me excited to try something new. There are many artists that have influenced my work, but Shelley Birkholz and Debbie Kauffman are two that have really impacted how I create. Their use of textiles in untraditional ways caused me to look at my materials in a new light. Birkholz’s inspired me with her use of texture, dynamic movement, and color combinations to create layered, painterly images with yarn. With Kauffman’s work I loved the use of patterns, repetition, and unique materials. Most importantly, what these artists have taught me is that there are so many ways to create art, you just need to find what will help you bloom.