Date

Spring 2024

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Thesis Committee Chair

Brian Wiley, MFA

Thesis Committee Members

Lily Lee, MFA

Roland Becerra, MFA

Artist's Statement

My work explores my traumatic experiences of growing up queer and Mormon and how these experiences express as ghost like apparitions within my psyche. Each work addresses different struggles I have had to deal with while coming to terms with my sexuality and gender identity. I make use of found objects for their capacity to hold memory and manipulate these objects in a way to share my personal experiences. During this work I started by looking at loss and mourning within my experience as a queer person and things I have lost because my identity is at odds with the community I grew up in. I am also looking at these experiences in conjunction with how the trauma of past experiences can manifest in a way comparable to ghostly hauntings. The main cornerstone of research within my practice as an artist is the personal narrative. I tend to reflect on those moments from my past that shaped my identity. I also look at the stories of others with similar experiences as mine to try and better understand my own experiences. I find that this exchange is an effective means of communication with those who have a shared past. I feel that as we learn more about each other’s stories, we uncover more about ourselves. This exchange of stories influences my material choices and process experimentation. And how I feel that my personal narratives come alive. My deeply personal experiences become visible expressions that make room for the viewer to see themselves in the work and reflect on their own experiences.

Apparitions and Absences

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