Biography

I like to tell people that I didn’t care for paint when I was younger because it was “too messy.” It wasn’t until a friend introduced me to oil paint that I fell in love with the medium’s sensitivity. I’m a Filipino-American artist based in Johnson City, TN. Once apathetic to the craft but now completely succumbing to it, I’m currently pursuing a B.F.A. in Painting at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). I’ve exhibited work in several galleries through the program, including the Gutstein Gallery and the Nest Gallery. I often depict the ordinary in my art because I believe everything around us - even the most disposable objects - has the potential to be beautiful when cast in the right light. 

Artist Statement

From my first days as a painter, Baroque art has profoundly inspired my work. Artists of this time knew how to tell complete stories through dynamic composition, distinct light and shade, and frivolous drapery. What I admire most about this era of art is that it extends beyond decoration and aesthetics, but serves as a powerful communication tool. Through their paintings, artists bridged a barrier for illiterate people, allowing anyone to understand scripture and political messages. This means the heart of the work is about connection and community. In reinterpreting these traditions, I seek to converse with both the past and the present. My own oil paintings attempt to shape a contemporary Baroque, one that pays homage to classical masters while embedding my own experiences and stories within their visual language. At its core, my practice is an effort to extend that legacy of connection and a reminder that we are tethered together through the stories we share.