Elementary 8×10″ Print

Title: Elementary
Size: 20 x 16 in
Medium: Acrylic & Acrylic Paint Markers
Surface: Stretched Canvas

Artist Statement:

Elementary is an abstract tribute to the earliest moments many of us experienced with art — those childhood classroom sessions where we learned to mix primary colors, fill an entire page, and create without rules or expectations. Whether we wanted to be there or not, those classes gave us something rare: space to explore, to play, and to express.

For me, some of the most meaningful recognition I ever received came from those early art teachers — even if it was a consolation ribbon or my work hanging in a hallway. Their encouragement, whether intentional or not, stayed with me. Art teachers always felt different. They were more human, more understanding, more accepting — and, in many ways, far ahead of their time. Elementary is my thank-you to them.

This piece celebrates the joy, innocence, and freedom of those classroom moments. Created with foam brushes and acrylic paint markers, the painting draws on the simplicity of early art projects but reimagines them through an abstract expressionist lens. The use of primary and basic secondary colors is intentional, aiming to evoke a sense of nostalgia while also inviting a fresh perspective.

In a world that often demands constant progress, Elementary is a reminder of the value in slowing down — of creating just to create, of being present, and of finding joy in the simple act of making something colorful.