I’m very thankful to the folks over at Steel Pixel Studios for featuring me on their latest episode of the Lehigh Valley Arts Podcast where I had the pleasure of chatting with host Ben Orr and my friend and local artist Keith Garubba. We talked about my beginnings as an artist, where I pull inspiration from, and went deep into the processes I use for creating my art.
I was asked to bring a piece with me so I chose Four 12ga Strap Ties Across a Textured Surface, an example of one of my painting/assemblage works. About halfway through the podcast Ben asked me to take a shot at describing the piece, so typical of the way I speak about my work, I focused on the process for creating it, the various media I used, and the handful of objects that I fastened to the surface to form its composition.
Keith asked a lot of good questions throughout the interview, and one of my favorite parts of the podcast was talking about how my passion for art started young, thanks to my incredibly supportive parents. College only fueled this passion as I pursued a degree in art, opening up doors to new styles and techniques, allowing me to truly explore.
Experimentation is core to my approach; I’m constantly seeking ways to push boundaries. I told the story about a pivotal moment in school that exemplifies this, where I began to see the beauty in unconventional materials and textures, a turning point that continues to influence my work today. This is evident in how I incorporate elements like numbers and text fragments into my assemblage paintings. Everyday objects – construction signs, weathered boxcars, even rusty dumpsters – inspire these visual markers, remnants of their past lives embedded within my art.
The Lehigh Valley Arts Podcast aims to showcase the local arts culture throughout the Lehigh Valley and I’m extremely honored to have been invited to be a part of it. The episode is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.