ARTIST STATEMENT: My artwork objectifies the lifelike facades and theatrical ambiance reflected in my career and incorporates classic circus midway aesthetics as a way to link these experiences to my family’s history. As a child, I spent the formative years of my life performing with my family on various circuses throughout the U.S., including the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus and the Clyde Beatty Cole Bros Circus. Bright lights, colorful costumes, candy colored balloons and cotton candy were all a part of our daily lives. When my parents decided to retire from show business and settle down in Central Florida, I continued performing on stage, but this time as a costumed character at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. The show must go on! For over ten years I worked as a scenic artist and painted backdrops and set pieces for amusement parks, retail stores, and stage shows. This progression continued when I moved to NYC and worked as a production manager for many world-renowned fine artists. My experiences in businesses that specialize in the fabrication of staged realities have left me with a mixed sense of apprehension and affection. Yes, these experiences are theatrical façades, but on the other hand, they feel natural to me, like being at home… My artwork highlights my entangled affiliation with the theater (where art imitates life) and reflects upon the psychology that these exaggerated experiences provide.