Artist Reception: Sunday October 11th at 12:30pm

I started this body of work because I became increasingly angry about what I was seeing happen in the world around me. The turning point came during the Trump administration, when funding and support for Ukraine were cut while democratic institutions and the principles of democracy itself seemed increasingly under attack. I found myself watching events unfold with a growing sense of frustration, disbelief, and helplessness. Painting became my way of responding.

These works address censorship, freedom of expression, democracy, and the experiences of people and communities who are marginalized, threatened, or too often silenced. Some paintings are direct responses to specific events. Others are more personal or symbolic. Together, they reflect my belief that art can be a form of protest—a way of speaking when simply watching and remaining silent is no longer an option. There has been no shortage of material. In fact, there has hardly been a day when I couldn’t find something to paint that expresses my anger.

But anger alone isn’t what I want these paintings to communicate. I want them to provoke thought, start conversations, and remind us that freedom of expression is something we have to continually defend. I also want to give visibility to people whose voices are often pushed aside or ignored.

I don’t pretend that a painting can change the world. But I do believe it can make someone stop, look, think, question, or feel something. For me, that is reason enough to keep painting.