Statement

My current work uses liminalism to capture the sensation of  experiencing reality as a person with autism. Specifically, my  work reflects a transitioning state. I regularly feel like I am in a  threshold or a boundary state. Through liminal spaces in my  paintings, I use “Self-Refraction” to depict real-life nostalgic  environments, such as shopping malls, movie theaters, and fast  food restaurants as places that are grounded, yet also dreamlike.  Essentially, I use my artwork to distort “reality” by emphasizing  or exaggerating aspects of the image to reflect my inner thoughts  or Mind’s Eye. For the real world, I trace them onto a canvas  using graphite, then I paint the environments using oil paint. Oil  paint is a useful medium, as it dries slower than water-based  paint. This allows me to adjust the paint however I feel fits. Once the liminal spaces are painted, I project the surreal aspect  over it, such as personified versions of animated characters. This  enhances the sensation of a “boundary” between real and  surreal. To create the animations, I use the software Procreate,  then connect the animations to a projector to project onto the  physical environment. Using projections over painted canvases  creates a sense of boundary between my characters and the  painted spaces. A fictional character’s interactions with real  spaces reflects my thoughts and feelings.