Artist’s Statement:

I am intrigued by the struggle of roles in society, especially that of the relentless pursuit of business success – or lack thereof. Society puts pressure on individuals, and determines what career motives are acceptable and how their success is measured. To careerists, success is measured by acknowledgments through praise and material possessions. In the U.S., there is a drive of personal success, and those who are ambitious or lucky are the ones who gain the power in an organization, but what about the ones who do not find success? What about the ones who cross the line to become successful?

I have begun to move “outside of the canvas” by creating more three-dimensional works with the goal of increasing the viewer’s interaction with the artworks and the concepts behind them. By doing this, the interaction leaves a lasting memory, which extends the viewer’s experience well-beyond his or her short-lived moments with the artwork itself. In doing this, I hope to affect change regarding these antiquated social norms associated with corporate America.

In my artwork, I look into business ethics and the gray area involved in them. That gray area signifies an ethical dilemma, where the border between right and wrong is blurred. It seems every day there are new stories about businesses and organizations being accused or investigated for ethical violations. These events around the world have heightened everyone's awareness of ethical business practices. As a businessperson, you have the ultimate responsibility for your actions. You are the person who decides if you should act ethically. If you are a CEO, supervisor, or manager, you need to provide the means that allow your people to act ethically. This is how an organization supports the ethical actions of its employees. So, why are there so many questionable actions happening by companies?

Looking to explain the paths we take, my work explores the journey and not the destination, the drive to succeed or the path to failure rather than success or failure themselves. From the official portrait of the corporate man to the mug shot from a white collar crime, my work reveals the space between the ideal personas people attempt to assume and the vulnerabilities and humor that arise in our inevitable failure to control our images, careers, and lives. Under the guise of humor, the work exposes a deeper world of greed, influence, conflicts, loneliness, choices, successes, and failures.