Your concept for Pride Month centers on Serenity. What inspired you to gravitate toward this emotion and, in particular, the color blue?
When I began working on this show, I felt that color would be a really important way of celebrating Pride. And I felt that pride month called for a clear expression of emotion. The pride flag is a ready-made map of color, of emotions, of values, that I’ve honestly never taken the time to fully dissect. So I did some research to understand what each color meant and how I might personally relate to them.
Originally I looked at colors like purple and orange as a place to anchor this show. Orange represents Healing while Purple represents Spirit. I landed on Blue, because it is so connected to my existing practice. In my work I seek to evoke feelings of calm and balance. I also saw it as a foil to how I personally felt in late April when asked to do this show. I felt everything but serene and calm. I see the ability to anchor oneself back in feelings of calm as one small way of taking back power in situations where we may not feel powerful.
You described serenity not as a current state, but as a North Star, something to aspire to. How does that idea of aspirational peace show up in your art?
As an anxious person, I make artwork despite feeling the opposite of calm and peace. In making the work I’m able to reach for that feeling, at least for a bit. I’m able to change my perspective and mood or show myself the possibility of getting there. I think it shows up in the way that I approach proportion and balance in my compositions. The forms are close to perfect, lines are carefully stacked, but there's still a roughness to the mark that emphasizes that it’s real, handmade, and authentic.
You co-created the Sips of Serenity afternoon tea with The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakhon’s team. If your art could be tasted, is this what it would taste like? What was it like turning your color palette into dessert?
I think that this afternoon tea collab totally captures what I wanted to express in this show. I think you can really see and taste serenity. The team did a great job of creating different shades of blue while also folding in other complementary colors like pinks and oranges to keep everything bright and light.
Your work feels personal but also incredibly open. What kind of conversations or reflections do you hope people leave with after experiencing this exhibition?
I want us to think about how we might find balance between peace in-self while staying awake and aware of what is going on in the world, not only around us but in far away places to peoples we may not know much about. How might we expand our empathy while caring deeply for our own well being? Or less, seriously, I hope that people walk away feeling like they’ve taken a deep breath and satisfying exhale.
You’re given 24 hours in a new city. What's your ritual to absorb the essence of the place?
My ritual is to walk, typically with no destination in mind and without using my phone to navigate. I love getting a bit lost and taking the time to build my own mental map of the place. For me this is the best way to understand how the city moves and changes for neighborhood to neighborhood.
What’s one piece of clothing or accessory that instantly makes you feel like you?
For me it’s just a simple black t-shirt. They have been part of my uniform since I was in college.
Which destination has influenced your palette the most, in life or in art?
It has to be Chicago. I wasn’t really surrounded by art and design growing up. Moving to Chicago for college to study architecture really opened up my world, and that has really stuck with me.
What’s your favorite way to spend a Sunday when you're not making art?
Wake up early to open all the windows and have coffee with my partner. Then I’d spend the next few hours going to the gym, or lunch, or doing chores, or simply taking a walk in the neighborhood, bumping into friends and making spontaneous plans along the way. In the evening we will have friends over for board games and a big Thai meal.
