A New York-based artist, I received my BFA in Painting and Drawing from the State University of New York at New Paltz and my MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Art Therapy from Lesley University. Intrigued by the organic, my work focuses on themes of biology and health. Intertwining the organic natures of art with my own health concerns, I am following natural methods and materials in an attempt to replace harmful materials and create a deeper understanding of art using alternative materials. In the past few years, I have become highly sensitive to the materials I use. My decision to use naturally-made inks not only aids in my personal health, but supports the organic motif of my work. The idea of the organic can take place in nature as well as in a lifestyle. It implies positivity and lucidity, which is something I try to transfer into my work when considering subjects like illness and disease. Diseases often instill fear into society, making them icons without imagery. After beginning research on numerous diseases, I attempted to create imagery for them. I found that slides of cells were often less frightening than what they caused, so I make my interpretations loosely, hoping to make viewers more comfortable with what organisms like bacteria or disease can be. Considering what takes place in and out of the body, I attempt to create a sense of space where the macroscopic and microscopic worlds hold tension with each other, pulling the viewer in for closer inspection, only to expand beyond the boundaries of a canvas. The subject is able to form its own identity through the alternative materials I use, whether they become topographical land forms or cellular, ephemeral bodies. These alternative materials include homemade inks from fruits, vegetables, and spices, as well as collected eggshells. With the inclusion of these substitute resources, I hope to create a safer practice for myself as well as allow for a deeper connection with my subject matter.