ARTIST Q&A

Born: Boston, MA

Currently lives: Boston, MA

Title of artwork:I’m going to be opaque with you

What’s it about?This piece was built around a found image of a woman. The negative space of her torso is an overgrown greenhouse in Scotland. She is headless, a floating head, but her gaze pierces through the windows. In cutting around her body, I thought of the anxiety of eye contact. How much are we feeling, expressing through a look, how much we’re hiding. How well do you know someone, even on their stormy and overgrown days?

Where else can we find your work? I have a small series still up at the JP Licks in the South Bay Center in Quincy. Also, at the Pao Art show.

Where is your favorite public art piece in the area?  I love the murals around the city! Allston, Chinatown, the Dewey Square Murals, the old windows painted on the brick building off the bridge between Allston and Cambridge. There’s an awesome black and white mural near some storage facilities in Jamaica Plain where I walk my dog. I love seeing all the utility boxes getting painted.

Who is your favorite Boston-area artist to follow? All my friends, it’s hard to pick! I appreciate the friends I’ve made through the Pao Art Center, Brain Arts, Compass, Hassle; just all the hard workers in Boston making art through this pandemic and hardships.

What are fall activity are you looking forward to? Watching scary movies and walking on crispy leaves. It’s still way too hot out when I help my friends harvest pumpkins on their farm so I’m excited for the pumpkin pies!

What’s your favorite way to spend a day off? I like going to museums or the library, especially if it’s a quiet weekday and I can take my time haha. I also like just walking around the city, looking for the old parts.

What was your top song for 2021? Boy Harsher remixed Perfume Genius’ “Your Body Changes Everything.” It sort of fits with this collage, haha.

Favorite food spot in in Allston, Brighton or the surrounding area?I used live in Allston/Brighton in about 2016-2018 (what is time any more) so most of my favorite foods are all gone! I do love thai iced teas and love hot pot, so I would say: Try something new!

What have you learned about your creative practice in recent years? Collages can be just as exciting to make as they are to deconstruct! This applies to my digital pieces. I’ve re-created “I’m going to be opaque with you” with acrylic paint and in Photoshop. I’ve sat and cut out her head as often as I’ve erased the pixels around her neck. She’s lived on a friend’s bathroom door and seen ice cream shops.

What is a piece of advice you would give to your past self as a young artist? It’s okay to be dark, it’s okay to make it pretty. You can’t escape your self, the art will eventually reveal everything.

What is your dream project to work on? I dream about working on collages more seriously. It’s something I do when “I have time” but I would love to work on a book! Collaborate on more dream zines, cover art, and dive into more photo archives; Vietnam history, advertisements, gardens, architecture, recipes, etc!