Ouroboros Celtic Cross

Our belief systems are built into our bodies as webs of memory, compulsion, and hope, that are often, in some part, at odds with our souls. For me, painting has always been an attempt to make sense of these parts, to confront what I am, what we are, and meditate on what makes us so.

For many people, their religious upbringing forms a core facet of their personalities — within our natal religion: what we are for, what we are against, whether we turn away entirely, or whether we find new traditions that resonate more deeply. Religion is deeply personal and is used by many to give their lives meaning, a fertile ground to dig at in search of our souls’ deepest questions, rituals that will answer our wishes, bless the dead, and save our souls from atrophy and decay. When we look at religious myth, we are looking at a series of deeply meaningful stories that have shaped our cultural and historical narratives.

Whether we believe in them or not, the stories’ existence is real and the power they hold over our understanding of purpose and existence is palpable. In crafting these paintings, I wanted to focus on the fact that these are just old stories with cosmic weight, and that we as carriers can shift the weight how we want. We have the ability to pull at the threads of these sacred tales, to question them, retell, and even reshape them.