About the work.

My work looks at contemporary day-to-day issues like self-help and parenting through a satirical lens. The work explores the conversation between language and figure, often referencing social media and memes. A modern confessional, they resonate with the viewer through the juxtaposition of real talk humor and classic painting techniques. Each work asks a question of the viewer, encouraging lighthearted self inquiry and invoking rule 62: don’t take yourself too seriously.

The Lost Boys of Sudan series.

This project is about the extraordinary lives of the Lost Boys of Sudan- children who survived hundreds of miles on foot alone to escape the destruction of their villages during Sudan’s second civil war (1983-2005). Displaced and orphaned, these very young boys (ranging in age from 4 to 13 years old) were separated from their families when government soldiers raided their villages. These soldiers killed innocent civilians, kidnapped children for slaves, and burned everything in their path. The boys spent the next decade or more without their parents or families, and without shoes, clothes, or reliable sources of food and water. Starving, diseased, and hunted by the government army, an overwhelming number of the Lost Boys perished on their journey.

In 2001, 27,000 of these boys (now men) emigrated to the US. I’ve photographed 20 of these young men in the towns where they live and am creating paintings of each, to accompany their personal stories for a full-color publication.

Their stories are inspiring accounts of the resilience of the human spirit. Despite their trauma, this group of men and women are warm, welcoming, and grounded–their spirits are strong and their faith is enduring.