Hot dogs, wet bathing suits, and playing pretend; these were the staples of my childhood. As I grew older, these things faded, and the reality of adulthood took over. Painting and drawing quickly became my safe haven when I entered my teenage years. I paint a safe place to travel to, a space that resembles my childhood. I long for the summer days that felt eternal, the smell of fresh-cut grass, and long car rides in my dad’s pickup truck. Though I can’t enter that space physically, I do so mentally through my pieces. My paintings invite the viewer into my oasis. Whether it is a direct image I am referencing or an abstract depiction of my feelings, all of my art invites us back to the nostalgia of those happy days.
