SELECTED WORK

Religious symbolism, art and faith strongly influence my work. I set them in motion to represent personal views and experiences I’ve had. My faith falters at times when seeing the injustices of our society. Yet it remains a constant force in my life. I’m drawn to examine these social injustices to create visual representations of a world I desire. My current artwork represents the emotions, thoughts and ideas that hold value for me. The process of creating art has given me an expressive space I haven’t found in words. Art brings me peace and offers me a meditative state.

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The role of art and religion initially came to me on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. In a small village there, I met a carpenter and artist named Lorenzo who showed me what it meant to follow a path of faith while being an artist. Lorenzo taught me that sharing our gifts with each other helps us all to be more beautiful. I tried to characterize that in Conversion. Reliquary is a tribute to Lorenzo. Higuey honors the place in the Dominican Republic that began to shape my life path.

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When visiting Rome, I was awestruck at the use of art to tell stories and reveal feelings. I was moved the most by the emotion captured by Michelangelo in the Pieta. I wanted to convey that similar emotional mood in No Identificado. I want to visualize the dangers of migrants longing for a better life. In the small town of Assisi I came across the spirits of Saints Francis and Clare that are still present today. Through works such as Mandala and Spirit of Clare, I look to interpret feelings of joy, peace, and solidarity.

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I work primarily in oils and printmaking. I seek to portray my calling to visualize issues of social justice and a human response to solidarity. As a Franciscan Friar whose spirituality is rooted in the radical equality of creation, I strive in my work to portray that equality, especially with those on the margins. San Damiano and Kings of the Desert give recognition to some of these communities on the peripheries.

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Over the years I have seen my work grow. Earlier works used abstract symbolism. In recent years, I have engaged a symbolism of real objects and experiences. In the future I want to work more with the human figure to advance my work. A greater understanding of the human figure will support portraying social injustices. I hope to utilize color by representing emotions and feelings along with abstract concepts. I see my work as an expressive space for my innermost feelings and emotions. I want to create art that visualizes a more accepting and equal society.