CALL FOR ARTISTS

'Positive Affirmations' Juried Exhibition

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Curator: Carlee Myers, APOP Studios

Email: info@apopstudios.com

Description of Exhibition: APOP Studios' first ever online juried exhibition of artwork surrounding the theme “Positive Affirmations.” The exhibition seeks to promote work that demonstrates an artist's’ positive outlook on themselves, society or otherwise.

Duration of Exhibition: September 2, 2016 through October 28, 2016

Awards: First place ($25 and three free creative coaching sessions) and Honorable Mention (two free creative coaching sessions)

To apply submit your $10 application fee at paypal.me/APOPFitness/10 and send info@apopstudios.com the following:

  • Name
  • Email
  • Phone number
  • Website
  • Medium resolution or higher images of each artwork you would like to be considered (Limit 10 pieces per artist)

Deadline: August 22, 2016 11:59pm

 

*Note:

  • All decisions of the curator/jurors are final.
  • If you are accepted, by submitting your entry you give APOP Studios the right to publish your images for marketing and exhibition purposes. We may ask select artists to provide higher resolution jpegs suitable for publishing.
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Happy Hustler of the Month: Nathan Hale

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About:

"My Name is Nathan Hale of Albany, Ohio, a small village located in Southeast Ohio. The youngest of four boys and I was born with Bilateral Congenital Vertical Talus also known as Rocker Bottom Feet. In short my Achilles Tendons were about 1.5inches to short and my arches are upside down so I walk on a bone mass located in the middle of my feet where the arch normally is located. This would become a big problem for me by the age of twelve as I was active in three sports and developed a love for football. Starting at age twelve the pain had gotten so bad I finally met a sports medicine doctor who was willing to try and help. From age 12-17 I had 2 complete reconstructive feet operations and 2 more screw removal operations. At age 18 I had one more major foot operation in hopes that if it worked I could have the same operation on my other foot then I could go back and play college football. A few months before that operation I was instructed by my surgeon to quit college football after bones shifted in my left foot crushing my Plantar nerve and artery. I tried this last big operation in hopes that it would allow me to go back to play college football, it was unsuccessful.

photo 1This was the start of some bad years in my life. I moved home and I started drinking heavily and using drugs. The pain of losing a game I loved and working so hard to make it to the next level crushed me. I was able to hide my troubles from the world and worked building houses while I attended Ohio University where I would eventually earn a degree in Specialized Studies in Psychology and Child and Family Life Studies. Then at the age of 28 I was told by my surgeon that double below the knee amputation would be my best option. I understood it could be an option due to the kind of pain I felt daily. From the time I woke up till I went to bed my feet hurt and if I did any activity it made my knees hurt worse than my feet and on some days my hips would start hurting bad too. Over the next 4-5 years I visited many Podiatrist and Orthopedic doctors. Most agreed with amputation, some didn’t and some had never even seen a case of what I had in real life. One thing they all agreed on is that I would experience a lot of pain my whole life living on these feet especially if I wanted to remain active. So at the end of all that it came down to this a choice, my choice to in my early 30’s amputate or start living a life of pain and take serious pain medicine daily to try and have some “normalcy” to life. At that moment I also knew I could not make this choice living the hidden life of addiction and feel 100% confident in it. I was able to stop using and became a man of faith, changed the way I thought and the kinds of thoughts I would allow myself to have and nothing has been the same since and life has been amazing. After a year of prayer, weighing my options and even seeing a therapist a few months I made the choice to have my right foot amputated on September 15, 2016. That fall I spent a lot of time in the woods during archery season healing both physically and mentally as I adjusted to learning how to live as an amputee. All that time setting in such a beautiful place watching life at its most basic gave me time to think on where I would like to take my life from here and the impact I would like to make with my story.

As I continue to heal physically and am now back on my feet I am currently working on starting a career in public speaking. I want to focus on high school and college athletes and share my story of losing college football, the fight with addiction that followed and how I was able to fight back from that to become a happy, healthy amputee (and possible double amputee) who loves life as much now as I ever have and am excited for a future of making others the best they can be by sharing my life, the mistakes I have made and the life of hope and happiness I have created for myself."  

 

photo 2Tell us a little bit about your hustle and your happiness journey.

I would describe my hustle as “humble and serve.” With all I have been through physically from operations at a young age, the loss of a personal dream (college football) and overcoming addiction and a negative thought process it has made me very humble from a young age. To hurt so bad after an athletic competition at such a young age made me grateful to even be able to compete. Getting up early to get to the woods to watch the sun come up and then take a walk through the woods knowing I would hurt worse for a couple days makes you enjoy that sunrise and the world waking up just a bit more. Watching my physical ability decline like it did in my mid 20’s brought about a feeling of humility I would have probably never of had if not born with Bilateral Congenital Vertical Talus. This condition has also given me a chance to serve others. By simply sharing what I have been through and living my life as a victor people have an example they can relate to and realize there is nothing stopping them from doing things they thought they could not do. If an amputee with his other foot being bad can get up, keep a happy mindset and love others while living the most active life he can there really is no reason those who are healthy cannot do the same or better. With hard work and persistence I hope that I am able to serve others further by speaking publicly and sharing my entire story to make sure others don’t have to go down the road I did at times in my life and give them hope for a better life for themselves.

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What do you do to de-stress after or during a long, stressful day?

I know in my own life that high levels of stress lead to nothing positive. There are a few things I do to de-stress when life sometimes gets to be getting the better of me. As a man of faith I pray, it’s something I can do and always have a little peace about what I prayed over. I am not saying that it fixes everything but to have a little peace to where we can think more clearly and make better decisions is a big help.  I realize that faith is not everyone’s thing so I would say meditation or finding just 10 minutes of quiet time where you can simply slow your breathing, focus on the things that are good and get your thoughts going in a more positive direction. I also like to spend time outdoors when things are stressful. In the woods and in nature brings such calmness over me. Seeing the wildlife in its environment and how natural it all is brings peace and my mind is quiet and just lets goes of the stressors it was thinking about. The final thing I do for stress relief is exercise. The gym gives me a place to tap into doing something physical and positive for my body. By losing some of the physical ability I once had it feels good mentally to go to the gym and work my body to the best of my ability. I feel like I am accomplishing something that I used to take for granted and always feel better when I leave the gym then I did before I went.

 

photo 2 (2)Where do you go for inspiration?

I often am inspired by other people. In this day of social media and YouTube a person can find someone doing something to inspire or be their best daily. I will get on YouTube and watch a speech from Inky Johnson or Eric Thomas, watch one of those guys and tell me you do not want to be a better you. I also follow people on Instagram and other social media outlets that I look up to or people who are using their lives to make others better, the Rock, Cameron Hanes and Inky Johnson as well as people I have met or people in and around my community. Inspiration is everywhere if we choose to look for it.

 

What are you currently reading or listening to (podcasts, books, blogs, etc.)?

I try and read some of the Bible daily, even if one is not a person of faith there is so much information about life in that book, how to treat others, how to live your life and as a man of faith it is very helpful to me. I am also currently reading the Napoleon Hill classic Think and Grow Rich. I also enjoy the author Andy Andrews and many other books that focus on success or the power of thought. I also listen to the podcast Cameron Hanes “Keep Hammering” an amazing podcast that inspires so many to live a healthy life and enjoying the outdoor lifestyle. An often I will try and listen every week to Inky Johnson’s “Inkspirations” and Eric Thomas “TGIM” Thank God it’s Monday. One very important thing I have learned is that if we feed our minds positive we will get positive from our minds.

 

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone just starting their happy hustle journey?

Persist, and realize that change does not happen overnight. You have to be persistent in your actions, habits and thoughts. There will be days we don’t feel like being happy or sticking to the changes we are trying to make, on those days persist. Keep your thoughts focused on good things, keep doing the positive habits and actions when you don’t want to and at the end of the day you will have made it through a bad day still one step closer to the person you are trying to become. One last thing, for anyone going through a major life change or battle, like fighting cancer, becoming an amputee or losing a loved one. There will be days when you just can’t fight and that is ok. On those days let someone who loves you fight for you, let them cry for you or carry the burden for that day and then come back strong the next day. Just do your best, some days your best may be a little better than other days but always just do your best.   

 

What are some of your favorite quotes or words to live by?

“No problem can be solved with the same consciousness that created it.” –Albert Einstein

“If decisions are choices…and our thinking dictates our decisions then we are where we are because of our thinking.” –Andy Andrews

“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says IMpossible”

I empty my bucket –Inky Johnson

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”  Phil 4:13

 

In one word, sum up your life as a Happy Hustler.

BLESSED

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What are the three core values of your hustle and how do those values relate to your happiness?

  1. Honesty- Being honest with others is always important but honesty with yourself is paramount. We can talk ourselves into any excuse or negative thought pattern so easily, yet when we look in the mirror we justify it because we are not honest with ourselves. Being honest with yourself is not about condemning yourself when we don’t do our best or we mess up. It is so when we do mess up we can be honest with ourselves and come to a conclusion about how to make it right much easier and faster than if we are constantly making excuses for ourselves.
  2. Purpose- One of my favorite speakers Dr. Eric Thomas explains it as “know your WHY.” When we have a deep desire to accomplish something all the challenges that come our way are easier to battle if we have a vision, a purpose for the pain. Finding my “why” or my purpose has given me an understanding that for so long I didn’t have as to why I was born with Bilateral Congenital Vertical Talus. I used to think why me, why was I born with this? Why not someone who didn’t love an active sport or someone who didn’t want to be great? As I began to study my purpose I also gained understanding. I understand that my purpose was to share this story with others to provide them an example and hope. My football career ended like it did and I went down that bad road so I could go back and save other young athletes and people from doing the same thing. I can use this amputation (and possible double amputation) to show others we can get through the hardest choices and struggles of our life and yet, live in happiness with a peace about us that others want and need and we can help them attain it.
  3. Faith- I understand that not everyone is a person of faith and I can respect what others choose to believe in. For myself however, my faith has kept me going in the toughest times of my life. When I was living in a world of shame and addiction I still felt loved even though I couldn’t love myself. While making the choice to let doctors amputate my right foot I spent so much time in prayer and thought and was able to reach the decision to amputate with peace and no regrets. I am not saying this is what others should do or have to do but one thing I would say is find something to have faith in, something bigger than yourself. Volunteer; join an organization that is making an impact in your community and in people’s lives. When we have faith in something bigger than us it allows us to take the focus off of ourselves, we don’t think about our problems near as much and the feel good emotions we get from what we have faith in often helps provide answers for problems that do arise in our life. Those three values along with others have kept me positive, happy and driven through the biggest physical challenge of my life since becoming an amputee. I personally know others who are facing challenges much greater than mine; yet, they have remained steadfast in positivity, love and inspiration. I am learning we all have a story, we all are unique in our own way and can make a difference in others lives. It is up to us to step out on faith and become the people we want to be that makes this world better because we are in it. One great step in becoming that person is living a life of love and happiness and watching as your happiness hustle develops into a lifestyle that can and will literally change your life.  

 

Facebook // Instagram // Email

 

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Happy Hustler of the Month: Greg Miller

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About Greg:

Greg Miller, Owner of Authentic Awesomeness, encourages people to be ‘Authentically Awesome’, by living and inspiring other to live a positive, energized lifestyle whether in sport, at work, or in everyday life; by not worrying about what others think, but improving yourself each and everyday spiritually, mentally or physically. He believes in investing our time, rather than just letting it pass. He believes in embracing our own uniqueness, our own goofy, whacky and weird selves. Greg Miller believes in embracing who we truly are without reserve, without the thought of “Is someone judging me,” because yes they are and WHO CARES!! Whether they are judging for better or worse, BE YOU!!

He is:

  • Here to inspire others to be the best version of themselves.
  • Master Trainer
  • Motivational coach
  • A 2008 10th round MLB Draft pick

 

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Tell us a little bit about your hustle and your happiness journey.

Where to begin, my happy hustle journey began after losing my professional baseball career due to elbow surgery and poor choices. These poor choices cost me my dream that I worked all my life to achieve. I even wrote a poem about it and the poor choice. My journey of a happy hustler didn’t begin so “Happy” per say as I battled a strong addiction to pain pills and opiates in general.

I was in and out of rehab for several years, lost in the grips of space and time withno direction, no goals, and a will to live that became completely stripped. It was not until my best friend Ezekiel Boren, entered my life and told me exactly what I needed to hear, the TRUTH. I had become so accustomed to being Greg, “The baseball player,” that I had no identity anymore. I just lied to myself about who I was, and was living this unauthentic, self-deceiving type of lifestyle and mindset. It was not until I made a conscious CHOICE, to choose a different way; to think different thoughts; to FUEL my mind with positive thoughts and feed those thoughts that aligned with my true self, my AUTHENTIC self, that I began to RECREATE who I was and ultimately begin to build my own AUTHENTIC AWESOMENESS…. And that is how our company began - through finding my own Gratitude and Love for myself, which is the foundation for what our company represents. Gratitude, Self-Love and Self-Empowerment!

 

What do you do to de-stress after or during a long, stressful day?

I do a lot of meditation, even just sitting at my desk, I will close my eyes, count my breaths for some time, get myself centered and continue on with my day. It is very relaxing and calming - relax the mind and RELAX THE BODY! Working IN and not just working OUT, the body only does what the mind tells it to do. Because of this we call our workouts, workINs because it all starts with a mindset - it all starts WITHIN!

My favorite workout is to hang my Olympic rings in nature, on a big branch, or under a waterfall like I did in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. I create a little circuit and get after it.

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Where do you go for inspiration?

For inspiration I go to nature and connect with the things that are greater than myself. I also listen to a lot of motivational speakers, Tony Robbins is classic, but also guys like Eric Thomas, Bob Proctor, Dan Pena and many others.

 

What are you currently reading or listening to (podcasts, books, blogs, etc.)?

Currently I have just finished the “Three Pillars or Zen” by Philip Kapleau and am re-reading “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. I find that life is a lot about repetition, and enhancing what already IS. Re-affirming and re-instilling what works, especially if we begin to lose our balance and our “way” so to speak. One other book, the one that changed my life is “As a Man Thinketh,” by James Allen. I listen to it in my car, before I go to sleep. It is awesome.

 

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone just starting their happy hustle journey?

If there was just ONE piece of advice haha, even though that’s very limiting because there are infinite things to give for advice; I would have to say Perseverance. Life is not all rainbows and butterflies, and it is how we RESPOND to life challenges, as opposed to how we REACT to them. They say life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond; I have to disagree because life is ALL about how we respond to certain circumstances and people in our lives. Life is going to happen regardless.

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What are some of your favorite quotes or words to live by?

Well I love Muhammad Ali’s “The man with no imagination has no wings,” this one is awesome. But I am a big Ralph Waldo Emerson fan and he has two quotes that stick out to me, one being “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment,” and also “Write it in your heart that everyday is the best day in the year.” But I also love ANY Bruce Lee quote, I can go on and on about quotes. Buddha is also one of my favorites and the fact is what we think, we ultimately do become. One of my favorite personal quotes is “Best Day Ever!” or BDE. Very similar to Emerson’s quote, but it means that each day is the best and only day, all we have is the HERE and NOW moment. There is no yesterday, there is no tomorrow…. There is only this current breath and current moment at hand and to live each day as its own “rebirth” so to speak, almost like being resurrected each morning, into a new day, a new opportunity to be BETTER than we were the day before.

 

 

unnamedIn one word, sum up your life as a Happy Hustler.

AWESOME!!!

 

What are the three core values of your hustle and how do those values relate to your happiness?

Gratitude, Love and Humility.

These values are what allow more good to flow in my life. If we are our thoughts, then what we think we attract, so it comes down to what we choose to focus our energy on. I choose to focus my energy on being grateful, not only for what I DO have, and also being grateful for all future moments and things that will have, as well as what I have had in the past. Love is just a state of being for me. Loving myself first so that I may spread love to all others and Humility is just as simple as that. Being humble and realizing we don’t know, life is mostly a matter of opinion and perspective with very little truth. The only TRUTH we know of is the one we live, otherwise, we are all on the same journey looking to figure out the same things and which way is best to do this or do that…. Life is about trial and error and being humble enough to take risks, fall down, and be able to get back up that much better, that much stronger the next time… That’s what life is to me and why humility is so important.

 

Connect with Greg:

Website // Facebook // Instagram

 

Know someone who we should feature? Nominate them here!

 

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This feature was sponsored by APOP Studios’ Feeling Salty Workshops. Schedule your workshop today to let go of that negative baggage and build a happier you! Great for work and school events. Email info@apopstudios.com or find more information at:  www.apopstudios.com/movingmindfully

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Happy Hustler of the Month: Luiza Cardenuto

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  Luiza Cardenuto is a Philadelphia Artist and Art Educator who believes art can be anyone's source of happiness and peace. She has exhibited in public urban spaces as well as traditional galleries all over the U.S. and abroad.

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Tell us a little bit about your hustle and your happiness journey.

I am an artist, but I wasn’t always one. I battled with the decision to become one for quite sometime growing up. I did not fit in. I felt misunderstood. I simply had no other interests besides drawing and when I moved to USA at age 16, I was officially labeled a misfit. I was a super shy immigrate from Brazil, who didn’t speak English well, didn’t understand the culture, yet the punks, cubans and goths in my high school came to my rescue. The rest was history; I became an artist. I made jewelry all the time, and sold it at my school. Quickly, I became known as the Brazilian Hippie girl who makes art.

Art school seemed to be a given and the only option at this point. First, I got my AA in Miami, then I headed off to NYC to pursue my calling...and my BFA.

When I graduated art school I had a strange, eerie feeling that the art world was not for me. Nevertheless, I kept going even though I was disenchanted. I still am. But, art is here, art is always here. I think that creativity has saved me and kept me sane.

Now, I am in Philly where I make art and teach art 24/7. It doesn’t get much better than that!

What do you do to de-stress after or during a long, stressful day?

I have to do yoga everyday now that I am 26. I feel that my body is getting stiffer by the minute. So I stretch and pull, I bend and bounce. It’s what keeps me moving and what keeps me smiling.

Where do you go for inspiration?

To get started at the studio, I have been getting into meditation. I typically do about 20 minute sessions. My mind is an interesting place to go.

There’s also nothing better than traveling, I go back to Brazil every chance I get as well as visit somewhere new every year. I love to be outside, to see different plants, to look at the sky and experience nature. She’s the ultimate teacher and inspiration.

Lately, I have also been going to the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia, and the Natural History Museum in NYC. I live for that stuff.

 

What are you currently reading or listening to (podcasts, books, blogs, etc.)?

I listen to a lot of lectures from philosopher Alan Watts and Terence McKenna.

I watch the occasional TED talk, some videos by Jason Silva and I get my comedic relief from Porta Dos Fundos, a brazilian comedy Youtube channel.

I recently discovered the magical world of comics. I’ve been buying graphic novels to read by Scott McCloud and others. I’m also a sucker for National Geographic magazines, I love their photography.

As for books, I am reading “A Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley again. My all time favorite book is “fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury.

 

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone just starting their happy hustle journey?

I’d say- look deep within. There’s always something new to learn about yourself. Make it fun and interesting.

 

What are some of your favorite quotes or words to live by?

“Change is the only Constant” - Heraclitus

“There’s always spring after winter” -Buddha

“Trying to be happy by accumulating possessions is like trying to satisfy hunger by taping sandwiches all over your body.”- George Carlin

 

In one word, sum up your life as a Happy Hustler.

Steep.

 

What are the three core values of your hustle and how do those values relate to your happiness?

  • Fulfillment (if it doesn’t fill, it doesn’t spill)
    • Whatever I do, I always ask if I feel fulfilled when doing it. I think it is important to check in with myself and see where the urge comes from.
  • Persistence (measure once, cut twice, and vice-versa)
    • I am definitely a mistake-making-machine. Often the same ones. But  persistence is like the oil that keeps the tin-man going, so he can get nickel-plated by the Wizard in Emerald City...right?!
  • Lightness (life ain’t so serious)
    • I’ve learned to take things lightly by letting go of control. I live with a certain level of detachment that I think is necessary to keep my sanity.

 

Connect with Luiza:

Website / Facebook / Instagram

 

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This feature was sponsored by APOP Studios’ Creative Stress Management Workshops. Schedule your group stress management workshop today! Great for work and school events. Email info@apopstudios.com or find more information at: www.apopstudios.com/movingmindfully.

 

How to take control of your happiness

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In a world where the hours, minutes, and seconds of our days are constantly monitored and accounted for--when do we step back and focus on the “me” portion of the day?

According to Mental Health America anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, and affect almost 20% of the population over the age of 18. Those numbers are scary, right? Let’s take that twenty percent and add that to the rapidly rising number of adolescents facing the same anxiety disorders--another 35% on top of the adult population!

We are all busy. We are all trying to find a “quick fix”. We are all surely wanting the easiest and most hassle-free way to find the happy in our own lives. That’s a huge reason why The Washington Post has cited that the 150 BILLION dollars that the U.S. spends on their mental health is only rising.

The cheapest alternative to expensive therapies and medications? All sources point to daily  journaling. If you’re anything like us, after an overwhelming day--the last thing we want to do is sit and journal about our feelings. Journaling and tracking your happiness along with the daily factors that influence that state of being have been proven to help manage anxiety, reduce stress, and cope with depression. Add in the facts that tracking things like your sleep, mood, and overall well-being make you a well balanced human being, and the pros definitely outweigh the cons.

Digital ProductsThe Happiness Tracking Journal is the antithesis of traditional emotional or therapeutic journaling.We found a way to reap all of the benefits of daily journaling, and streamlined it for you. The entire week is on one clean and minimalistic page, so you can physically and tangibly see where you are at your happiest. Keeping things short, sweet, clean, and to the point is what sets the Happiness Tracking Journal apart from other methods. Have a weird part of your day you want to record? So did we, so we made it entirely customizable.

You can download the Happiness Tracking Journal from TheAPOPShop on Etsy, and instantly begin to track your well-being, and start your new path to positivity.

 

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First Friday Feature: Leah Koontz

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This First Friday APOP Studios is celebrating the work of Philadelphia Artist, Leah Koontz. Her work directly relates to equality and the marginalized--demanding she and society as a whole are progressive and forward thinking through the critique of societal standards and beliefs. She has exhibited many places in Philadelphia among which include, New Boon(e), The Galleries at Moore, and The Water Gallery. She has also shown at the Ice Cube Gallery in Denver. She received the Sarah Peter fellowship from MCAD and has been published with Cleaver Magazine and The Philadelphia artblog. 13113205_10206600362873139_1605093997_o

Leah's Statement

"I make work about equality because I feel that this is my duty as a contemporary artist and engaged citizen. I am particularly interested in challenging American society's perception of marginalized groups. I also explore collaboration and growth. It is important for me to consider the tension and possible space for growth which happens among people as they attempt to communicate. I routinely think about my position, with respect to balance and control, as well as society’s relationship to these ideas. I want my art to contribute to learning and conversation, which hopefully spawns from my viewer’s experience. My work deals with themes of excess, conformity, and deterioration. Material is usually the byproduct of an idea. I enjoy working with a range of mixed media and genres to build a vessel for my thoughts as well as combining the grotesque with the seductive."

 

https://youtu.be/fV5TsL4uCnk

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