Q: Could you speak a little about the artistic process behind creating this piece?

A: This painting was completely inspired by Mary Royall’s light painting series. I love her work with windows, which you can see on her website (linked here), and wanted to do my own take. The painting depicts the window in my room in northern Florida, where I anxiously watched the election percentages tick up while venting in a group chat.

Q: Does place typically influence your art?

A: Yes, I find great joy in making little shittier versions of the world around me.

Q: Do you feel that art offers an escape from the state of the world, or does it spring from these systemic issues?

A: It can serve either purpose depending on the emotions of the artist and the intention of the piece. For me, i use it more to communicate my state of mind, so currently the latter.

Q: What have your artistic interests been so far this year? What do you hope to do more of?

A: This year, I’ve actually found it difficult to transition from writing back into art, so I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to create something with a little of both. I hope to transition more into sustainable art, I’ve been collecting scraps for years and I think finally have enough colors to start!

Q: What advice do you have for artists and creatives that are finding it tough to create right now?

A: hashtag just do it. You’ll feel worse doing nothing.

Q: Who is an artist that inspires you?

A: Recently, I’ve been loving the work of Stuart Dunkel, an oboist and painter from Massachusetts. All his work is brilliant, but he has this whimsical series of his pet mice which he paints in different life scenarios. I’ve admired him for many years but lately have truly been drawn to the human emotion within the mice. Which, paired with Dunkel’s masterful oil work, always make me smile (which is more important than ever, lately).