I am interested in what makes memory so attractive. As someone who enjoys looking at childhood photos, I wonder why it is that people enjoy looking back to old times, whether that be simply because younger versions of oneself are pleasant to look at, or maybe even because there is something internal that one is holding on to. Most of my works are representational, where I digitally create images that have enough color and structure to be recognized. I enjoy using my own art style to create recognizable objects because I believe with recognition comes a sense of understanding and comfort. Also, creating art digitally parallels how recollection and memory are organized almost mechanically. Memories are familiar, and my art provides me contentment because familiarity brings comfort even if everything else is abstract or not understandable.

My current works involve me taking childhood photographs and illustrating specific sections of the image. These images range from my birth to late toddler years, and each artwork is sized as the exact 4x6 inch picture to recreate the same photo-album feel. With an iPad and stylus, I use the illustrating application Procreate, which provides various digital brushes and an entire CMYK color wheel. Using a crayon-like brush, I trace an outline in black; by doing this, I am solidifying and in the process reminiscing the memory within the image. Tracing to me is very child-like because that is how I first learned to draw before I drew from memory or freely; doing this allows me to connect to the child version of myself that is portrayed in the images. Once outlined, I make the intuitive decision to add color or leave the original photo intact. If I do add color, I do not always use the color of the original section. Sometimes, I use any color that I want to use because in the moment I think it will make the photo look better aesthetically. I’ve come to realize that it doesn’t matter if I use the same colors/shades/hues/shapes as in the original photo because the viewer will never know if what is illustrated is actually representative or additionally included for any number of reasons. In addition to still photos, I have also animated various versions of the altered image into GIFs to show that memory is not always still and not always the same every time. To show that the image can be changed in multiple ways represents my interest of how memory can be both intentionally and unintentionally fabricated, all while anyone other than myself can never tell the truth.

In my art, I appreciate the concept of perception and comfort, and why art even has the ability to bring comfort through recognition. For me, comfort means being able to ask questions or talk about a subject without feeling like I am overstepping any lines. Sometimes, it even means not feeling the need to question anything, especially intentions. With my artwork, I might think about the story behind each image, but I don’t think I would wonder beyond its context-- and that’s comfort within my perception. Whether parts are redrawn exactly as is, or added in as entirely new objects, the art and how it is perceived is unique to the perceiving individual. Also, I just think it’s pretty fun and amusing to know things about the original photo that others may never know.