Acquired for Private Collection
There’s something about Sunflower that has really stayed with me. It’s one of those smaller pieces that somehow feels like it has a big personality. It sits right in the middle of a lot of what I love exploring in my work. Masculinity and softness. Playfulness and vulnerability. Chaos and calm.
Living in Kansas, it’s hard not to appreciate sunflowers. They’re strong, resilient, and beautiful without trying too hard. I liked the idea of pairing that kind of beauty with a masculine figure. We spend so much time putting people into boxes, deciding what is masculine or feminine, when in reality most of us are a little bit of both.
The colorful circles throughout the painting started as a fun visual pattern, but they’ve come to mean something more to me. They remind me of how different we all are while still sharing so much in common. The colors quietly reference Pride, but the idea is bigger than that. Every person has their own story, their own experiences, and yet we all want to be accepted, loved, and understood.