ANIMALS

I use animal subjects to create metaphors about our human vulnerabilities. Animals make ideal models for this: they’re instinctual and honest.

Each subject in this series inhabits a very human reality - grappling with things like trust, anxiety and obsession. I include unexpected objects as clues, inviting the viewer to ask questions and create their own story about the situation.

Like many people, I find it challenging to look at myself honestly. Emotions, desires and judgments all cloud the image I see in the mirror. All the animals I paint personify me, in some sense. I choose the unusual situations that these animals are in as metaphors for my own thoughts and struggles. And by embracing their world, I’m able to better understand mine.