Artist Statement 

 

          Art and design are methods of expressing yourself in an enjoyable and creative manner. Growing up with high-functioning autism, I have found out that it is a great way of expressing my feelings and what I enjoy as an individual. I have always found my escape from my occasional struggles through art, and color and the world around me is fascinating. I believe that color has the ability to express a wide array of emotions, unlike black and white, which has more of an austere feel. Being an avid admirer of sixties music, I work with a colorful, joyful style that reflects a retro vibe in much of my artwork. I have found myself attached to anything retro-related, particularly that of the sixties era. There was an abundant use of color in mid-twentieth century art, and this has inspired me to employ color and pleasurable features in my work. I believe that it makes art enticing to all audiences and worth viewing.

 

          My work is influenced by my own experiences in my life and what I enjoy. I work in other mediums other than graphic design. The main method I work with aside from graphic design is drawing, which I have enjoyed since an early age. Normally the medium I work with is pencils while drawing, and colored pencils when working in color. My artistic style is more youthful and is more stylized than realistic since I have always worked in that style, and I was fascinated by cartoons and the illustrations of children’s books growing up. Since an early age, my drawing style has evolved and has become more and more comprehensive, yet remains cartoon-like.

 

          This then led me to incorporate color and interesting aspects in my designs, which are normally very inviting and not so monotonous. Not only do I enjoy art, I also enjoy using computers. Enjoying both things led me to pursue a graphic design career, and I believe that this merges both of these interests into one. Although I do incorporate research before working on a project, I come up with my own ideas and perspectives as well. Usually in my designs I like to incorporate appropriate color throughout, including that of the branding of a company or product. Drawing and illustrating is something I’ve done for my enjoyment since I was very young, and I will use this lifelong passion to become a well-rounded designer.