Artist Statement

As a rural Appalachian with a southeastern Ohioan upbringing, Appalachian cultural influence finds itself rooted in each concept, detail, and intention of my artwork. Through my body of creative work, I investigate and narrate how land and people inherit an identity, a culture, a historical legacy, and the potential misconceptions associated with the region. My mission as an artist is to explore notions of the authentic rural Appalachian perspective through regionally-rooted compositions, materials, and concepts to ameliorate accurate representation. In a sense of never-ending gratitude, each creative work I produce is signed as a love letter to Appalachia. 

The act of storytelling—an inherently Appalachian quality—is integral to my artistic practice. I am heavily influenced and inspired by the storytellers of my family and community, often relaying themes of resilience, survival, folklore, and recurring dedication. While regionally significant ideas and compositions are foundational to my practice, material choice is equally fundamental. By incorporating regionally-sourced surfaces, pigments, and mediums into my creative work, I provide a physically tangible tether to Appalachia.

As my creative body of work develops and expands, I hope that viewers—Appalachian or not—can establish a meaningful connection to lived, authentic experience. My artistic practice seeks to simultaneously reform and critique the existing visual iterations of Appalachia, supplementing viewers with narratives sourced and interpreted directly from the source of Appalachian storytelling. My creative work finds a home in publications, galleries, and collections within Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky, yet seeks to vacillate cultural exchange and narrative throughout the remainder of Appalachia and beyond.