36 × 36 inches
Mixed-media painting on canvas
Material: paper, personal ephemera, pattern paper, tissue, adhesive, acrylic and oil paint on canvas
Artist Notes:
I chose the buffalo as the subject for this painting after visiting the Tallgrass Prairie, where I was struck by its quiet majesty and physical presence. Long associated with Western iconography, the buffalo represents endurance, resilience, and an intimate connection to the land. For me, it also became a way to explore my relationship to place.
I am not originally from Kansas City. I grew up in Wisconsin and spent nearly fifteen years living and working in New York City before settling in the Midwest. Engaging with the buffalo—a symbol deeply rooted in the history and landscape of this region—has become a way of coming to terms with what it means to make Kansas City my forever home after years of movement and transition.
The layered surface reflects this sense of accumulation and passage. With this piece and much of my work, I build and sand the surface repeatedly, allowing textures and forms to emerge organically. The weathered quality of the painting mirrors the way identity is shaped over time—by where we’ve been, what we’ve carried with us, and the places we ultimately choose to belong.
36 × 36 inches
Mixed-media painting on canvas
Material: paper, personal ephemera, pattern paper, tissue, adhesive, acrylic and oil paint on canvas
Artist Notes:
I chose the buffalo as the subject for this painting after visiting the Tallgrass Prairie, where I was struck by its quiet majesty and physical presence. Long associated with Western iconography, the buffalo represents endurance, resilience, and an intimate connection to the land. For me, it also became a way to explore my relationship to place.
I am not originally from Kansas City. I grew up in Wisconsin and spent nearly fifteen years living and working in New York City before settling in the Midwest. Engaging with the buffalo—a symbol deeply rooted in the history and landscape of this region—has become a way of coming to terms with what it means to make Kansas City my forever home after years of movement and transition.
The layered surface reflects this sense of accumulation and passage. With this piece and much of my work, I build and sand the surface repeatedly, allowing textures and forms to emerge organically. The weathered quality of the painting mirrors the way identity is shaped over time—by where we’ve been, what we’ve carried with us, and the places we ultimately choose to belong.
