Artist Statement

"My body of work emerged from my desire to paint over polaroid photos and the contrast between paintings and polaroid photographs. I am intrigued by the abstractness and painterly imagery in the polaroid when the film does not process correctly. I choose to use polaroid cameras because I have an interest with the process within the camera and film. The camera and film’s “ability to record is also its vulnerability to damage.” (Mariah Robertson) My work centers on the haphazardness of the film development and the medium I choose to alter the polaroid even further. I use paint, fire, and bleach to change the look of the polaroid or recreate the mistakes in the development process. Through my work, I want to convey control and lack of control. I have control over only a few parts of the cameras. For example, with my SX-70 camera, I can control the focus and the exposure but I cannot control the film’s development. I never know how the photo will turn out and I must be okay with that. Some of my film ended up not developing at all. With those polaroids, I decide to use fire to recreate the errors in the development. In my artwork, I both take control and give up control, anything could happen with the film, paint, fire, or chemicals. In my art, I use chance and control as a method of letting go. I am interested in how to come to grips with the uncontrollable and letting go to see the process take place. I am conscious of the fact that they won’t all be successful."