As a kid, I was obsessed with the gods and goddesses of the ancientGreeks. This vibrant cast of characters, each with their supernatural abilities and excessive flaws was such an interesting narrative vehicle. Eachcharacter represented not just some physical phenomenon, but carried with it personality traits, history, and complexity. A Philosophy of Visual Art courseI took in college with Dr. Susan Josephson illuminated this idea for me and it became the skeleton in which my ideas formed. The concept of fictional characters carrying a complex message ran through the history of art, from religions and straight to advertising and modern communication. I saw it too in the cartoons I grew up watching. I wanted to create a menagerie of my own characters, ones that were simple, unassuming, and enjoyable, but most importantly, carried meaning, each in their individual way.

The exhibition, Enduring Pantheon, started as a personal reflection. I had some major changes in my life that were causing me to evaluate the thingsI have achieved and the things I have made. This introspection led to an actual review of my own art history and its development over my lifetime.

It is a very odd thing to create an exhibition of artwork looking back at over twenty years of making work professionally. In some ways I feel like I just left college and that I still have so much more to learn. Then, upon opening digital folders packed full of hundreds of works I have created and showsI have had since graduating and it causes me to pause for a moment and reflect positively on just how much I have made and done. I am often my own harshest critic and looking back at old works can be hard. I have always looked to the future for my best work, constantly evolving my technique and trying to find better ways of using these goofy characters Imake to tell the stories I want people to experience.

I tried to use this opportunity as a way to showcase how my work has changed and how it has stayed true to itself and I hope that the work remains enjoyable and thought provoking for those who see it.