Growing up in New York I was lucky to have free access to museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and at a young age was fascinated and moved by pieces by great artists like Van Gogh and Egon Schiele. I was also exposed to street art, at a young age, and have always considered this art equal to those in museums. I greatly admire the street artist, Swoon, whose works have been exhibited in MOMA.
I have early memories of being transfixed by mosaic art on subway tunnel walls. I also greatly admire and am inspired by the work of female surrealist artists like Leonora Carrington as well as Frida Kahlo who is especially inspirational to me, as a chronically ill female artist. I often think of her painting on her body cast as well as a portrait of her feet, that she painted when she could no longer walk. It read, “feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly.”
