Artist Statement
Nearly ten years ago, I attended my first Pride celebration in New York and felt deeply
affirmed, like I belonged. Weeks later, I moved to South Carolina, where culture shock and
discrimination left me feeling othered and silenced. To stay safe, I developed a mask—a bright,
agreeable persona—but the trade-off was loneliness and disconnection. Painting became my
language for unmasking: a way to voice what I could not always say out loud.
My work explores the gap between appearance and truth, safety and authenticity, isolation
and belonging. I work primarily in acrylic on canvas and terracotta, using bold colors and
whimsically macabre motifs to capture the “Happy Spooky” beauty of showing up fully. My heavy
use of fluorescent paints, which transform under blacklight, reflects my fascination with hidden
layers: just as my work shifts under different light, unmasking reveals deeper truths within
ourselves.
Ghosts have emerged as a central motif, embodying the paradox of being seen and
unseen. In the cultural imagination, they are frightening when alone but less so in
groups—mirroring my belief that belonging transforms fear into connection. Alongside ghosts, I
use symbols such as snakes, eyes, and spiders to translate complex emotions like grief, anger, and
joy into visual form.
Through Bobo to the Max, I create “Bobos for Belonging”—works that function as both
affirmations and portals into connection.
