Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100 cm, 2019

My creative and spiritual journey has taken me around the world for inspiration, allowing me to unravel textile traditions and ceremonies that have depicted prana for centuries – Javanese Batik, Peruvian Shipibo patterns, and Tibetan Sand Mandalas. Each tradition represents this creative energy in different ways – as a pervasive energy-field in Batik, as a sonic vibration in Shipibo textiles, and as a geometric representation of the cosmos in Tibetan Mandalas.

Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100 cm, 2019

All traditions ultimately point to the same Source of creativity and spiritual enlightenment. By selecting these ancient traditions that span the globe, it is my intention to convey that prana isn’t restricted to a specific geographic, racial or cultural background. Called by different names and manifesting itself in different forms, this energy is ultimately the foundation of our shared human experience. By visualizing it, I point the connection and oneness we possess with one another and the universe.

Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100 cm, 2019

Scripts is a synthesis of everything I have learned aesthetically and spiritually from these traditions. In the paintings before you, the manner in which the different brushstrokes seamless flow into each other like a jigsaw puzzle is informed by the filling-in isen technique used in Batik, where small motifs and dots are used to fill every inch of the cotton fabric. The treatment of prana in these paintings as sonic vibration is inspired by the Shipibo tradition, where artisans from the Peruvian Amazon create geometric patterns in response to chants, or Icaros, sung by the local shamans. The color choices are drawn from the exquisite sand Mandalas of Tibet, where different color combinations carry different meanings for the viewer. In that sense, this series is the first truly pluralistic body of work I have produced, wherein each painting carries bits and pieces of the globe yet is entirely unique in form and composition.

Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100 cm, 2019

It is my hope that these paintings will serve as tools for you to reflect upon your true nature, that is, your inner spirit that shines with love and joy, and allow you to manifest a reality that is infinitely creative and spiritual. If you haven’t yet undertaken a journey that digs deep into the core of your being, I wish for these paintings to serve as the gateway to that realm, where peace and fulfillment awaits.

Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100cm, 2019

Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100cm, 2019

Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100 cm, 2019

Fluorescent acrylic paint on canvas, 100 x 100cm, 2019

Fluorescent acrylic paint on canvas, 100 x 100cm, 2019

Fluorescent acrylic paint on canvas, 100 x 100 cm, 2019

Fluorescent acrylic paint on canvas, 100 x 100cm, 2019

Fluorescent acrylic paint on canvas, 100 x 100cm, 2019

Fluorescent acrylic paint on canvas, 100 x 100cm, 2019

Acrylic on stretched Japanese cotton, 80 x 80 cm, 2019

Acrylic on stretched drill cotton, 80 x 80 cm, 2019

Acrylic on canvas, 62 x 42 inches, 2019

We live in troubled times; many people live lives that are misaligned, drawn away from their paths. I believe that we are brought into existence to carry out a certain purpose; the closer we are to this purpose, the happier we are. I have suffered the consequences of falling from the path several times, and meditation is the single definitive practice that has brought me back. These paintings are a tool for meditation - not only for me while I create the painting but also for my viewers.

Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 inches, 2019

By connecting with the visual depiction of the Mandala, we are looking into a mirror depicting the most fundamental structure of our being. Being aware of this structure allows us to click back into alignment, facilitating peace and happiness as a result.

Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 inches, 2019

I was first drawn to architectural mandalas, particularly Borobudur in Central Java and Angkor Thom in Cambodia. Borobudur, as a physical representation of Mount Meru, consists of a tripartite structure that is said to depict the three Buddhist realms of existence.

Watercolor on paper, 15 x 11 inches, 2019

The summit of each monument represents the final stage - nirvana, or freedom from physical existence. This is important to my artistic vision of depicting structures that allow my viewers to spiritually evolve as human beings, and therefore have more clarity and awareness in their own lives.

Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100 cm, 2019

Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100 cm, 2019

Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100 cm, 2019

Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100 cm, 2019

Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100 cm, 2019

Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100 cm, 2019

Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100 cm, 2019

Acrylic on canvas, 100 x 100 cm, 2019

Acrylic on unstretched canvas, 54 x 108 inches, 2017

Music is energy; it is physically manifested as a vibration that is propogated through our sonic field. I Traditions spanning the globe have been inspired by music in their enactment of religious and cultural histories; many have attempted to visually capture the cosmic energy that music represents.

Acrylic on unstretched canvas, 54 x 144 inches, 2018

One such tradition is the Shipibo tribe from the Peruvian Amazon. Artisans from this ancient tribe create geometric patterns in response to chants, or Icaros, sung by the local shamans. These patterns have inspired the series entitled Now-Shipibo, where energy is treated as sonic vibration that saturates large, un-stretched fabric laid on the floor and painted over the course of a few weeks.

Acrylic on unstretched linen, 45 x 80 inches, 2017

The Shipibo tradition is important to me because I want to shift the focus from Eurocentric art to tribal creative traditions that have been operating in relative isolation for decades. Additionally, I have always been fascinated by synesthetic experiences that involve sight, sound, smell, and touch at the same time.

Acrylic on unstretched cotton fabric, 54 x 180 inches, 2017

The Now-Shipibo series introduces intimacy with the artwork by enabling you to touch the pieces, reflect on their aural history, and be visually captivated by the fluorescent paints used. Art does not have to operate on purely visual terms, as the Shipibo tradition so beautifully exemplifies.

Acrylic on unstretched cotton fabric, 72 x 72 inches, 2017

By creating an expression of the interchangeability between light and sound, The Now Shipibo tradition pushes the boundaries of art from a largely visual realm to something that is pluralistic, cross-disciplinary, and a treat for all the senses. The synesthesia achieved through the multi-sensorial, vibrational fusion of form, light, and sound enables viewers to transcend their reality in exchange for one ever more connected and peaceful.

Acrylic on unstretched cotton fabric, 54 x 144 inches, 2018

Acrylic on unstretched waxed cotton, 45 x 126 inches, 2018

Acrylic on unstretched canvas, 54 x 108 inches, 2017

Javanese Batik has had a rich history; as a central trading point for traders between Europe and Far East Asia, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and a variety of external cultures have influenced Java for over 500 years. Indonesia’s motto “Unity in Diversity” reflects the pluralistic nature of its most prized tradition: batik.

Acrylic on canvas, 35 x 50 inches, 2016

In Batik, I was inspired by the Hindu and Buddhist allusions to Mount Meru and the Garuda, which serve as representations of the universe we occupy. I believe that much of the work visually represents the energy that I have been so eager to visualize, and Batik patterns such as the Kawung or Sémèn designs are constant sources of inspiration for the series entitled Now-Batik.

Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 60 inches, 2016

The resist-dye technique that is so commonly associated with Batik has also found its way to these paintings; resist-dye is slow, tactile, and part of the magic attached to the final piece. My process mimics this technique; instead of wax, I use painter’s tape to capture my perception of energy. The paintings, much like Javanese Batik, are a mere snapshot of a much larger universe, and therefore tend to bleed off the edges.

Acrylic on canvas, 50x 70 inches, 2016

Many of the designs have emerged from dreams. I am often captivated by a specific composition or color scheme when asleep, which I promptly translate to canvas when awake. The recurrence of shapes in these images is intended to create a trance-like effect, enabling the viewer to reflect upon the universe that is hiding behind those shapes.

Acrylic on unstretched polyester fabric, 54 x 108 inches, 2018

The paintings in this series are characterized by a symbiosis of chaos and structure, which I believe represents the fine balance that exists between the two in the universe. Energy is naturally entropic i.e. it has a tendency to dissipate. When we look at energy from a myopic point of view, we might find chaos. Pulling the lens back, however, reveals an order to this madness that chaos theorists have sought to unravel for decades.

Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 60 inches, 2016

Batik is a perfect representation of this balance between chaos and order. Up close, many Batik patterns seem disorderly, characterized by a variety of different strokes and patterns. Closer inspection, however, reveals that these chaotic strokes come together to create a beautiful representation of the human condition. The same quality characterizes the Now-Batik paintings, which relish in the discomfort that arises from keeping the two qualities in balance.

Acrylic on canvas, 30 x 40 inches, 2016

Acrylic on canvas, 30 x 40 inches, 2018

Acrylic on canvas, 25 x 25 inches, 2016

Acrylic on unstretched canvas, 54 x 144 inches, 2017

Acrylic on canvas, 32 x 32 inches, 2019

These pieces have been created to explore, in-depth, the relationships that I share with my family and immediate social circle. Psychologically, my personality is a composite of the people that I have surrounded myself with over the last 20 years. With this series, I aimed to re-negotiate, through painting, my understanding of those that have so greatly influenced my character. In a sense, it is a homage to these individuals, but in another sense, it is a gateway to a greater understanding of my creative and spiritual self.

Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 inches, 2019

Each portrait goes beyond the palette and brush strokes into a parallel space where I find myself reflected in the work, in turn making each piece a self-portrait, capturing a unique strain in my psyche.

Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 inches, 2019

Acrylic on canvas, 30 x 30 inches, 2014

Acrylic on canvas, 40x 40 inches, 2014

Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 inches, 2014

Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 inches, 2014

Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 inches, 2014

Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 inches, 2014

Watercolor on canvas, 20 x 30 inches, 2016

The work shown here is inspired by my recent excursions into numerous national parks, including Joshua Tree, Zion, and Arches National Park. I was naturally drawn to the work of Helen Frankenthaler, particularly her ability to create luminescent compositions that seemed to organically emerge from the fabric of the canvas.

Watercolor on canvas, 48 x 62 inches, 2016

These paintings are also my attempt to capture the creative and sexual energy (or shakti in the concept of Dharma) that exists within every human being. This energy can be activated through Kundalini yoga and meditation, but also through periods of intense artistic and musical creation.

Watercolor on paper, 48 x 62 inches, 2016

All of the pieces here have been created in the presence of music. Shakti is a concept that Western science has yet to fully unravel, but one that much of Eastern science and philosophy has spent centuries exploring. It is perhaps my nescient understanding of Shakti that makes it such a fascinating topic to investigate from a creative standpoint.

Watercolor on unstretched canvas, 40 x 60 inches, 2016

Many of the paintings here will eventually fade into oblivion, but that is an integral component of my vision. Nothing is meant to last, and I have merely shortened the lifespan of my images by painting with watercolors on canvas. My hope is that, even now, some of these images seem to float just above the surface of the canvas, ready to dissipate because of a cough or sneeze.

Watercolor on canvas, 50 x 50 inches, 2017

Fluid acrylic and watercolor on canvas, 72 x 72 inches, 2017

Watercolor on canvas, 20 x 30 inches, 2016

Fluid acrylic and watercolor on unstretched canvas, 54 x 108 inches each, 2016