Title: Layers
Original Size: 48 x 36 in
Medium: Acrylic
Surface: Canvas
Created: 2021

Artist Statement:

Layers is an emotional and deeply personal exploration of identity, transformation, and the complexity of the human experience. Created over many hours of painting, drying, reworking, and reflecting, this piece became a visual representation of the internal conversations I was having at the time — with myself, my art, and the direction of my life. It marked my return to professional-level painting after a significant pause, making the process both cathartic and challenging.

Inspired by the work of Jackson Pollock, Layers embraces the abstract, the intuitive, and the unapologetically nontraditional. Much like Pollock’s controversial and revolutionary approach, this piece challenges viewers to look beyond the surface. What may seem chaotic or random at first glance reveals intention, structure, and emotional resonance to those willing to look deeper. In Pollock’s spirit, Layers does not ask for approval — it simply exists, raw and real.

This painting is a visual metaphor for mental health and emotional depth. Each layer, each color, and each movement represents the many emotions we carry — sometimes all at once — through moments of struggle, joy, confusion, and clarity. Just as life is rarely linear or easily categorized, neither is this painting. Some things defy boxes, labels, and expectations. Sometimes, being different is the point.

From a distance, the piece invites curiosity. Up close, it offers discovery — a multitude of hidden hues and techniques layered beneath the surface. Like looking into a dense forest, the depth seems endless, with something new emerging each time you return to it.

Completed with acrylic on stretched canvas and finished with several coats of high-gloss sealant, Layers is currently on display in St. Charles, MO, and available for purchase.