BIJIJOO: SPOTLIGHT

YOUR WORK IS DEFINED BY A BALANCE OF EXPERIMENTATION AND STRUCTURE. HOW DOES YOUR BACKGROUND IN SCIENCE AND MATH SHAPE YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?

My background in science and math trained me to think systematically while embracing uncertainty. In painting, I apply that same mindset — setting up constraints, experimenting within them, and allowing unexpected forms and techniques to emerge. There’s a push and pull between precision and chaos, like in scientific discovery. I treat the canvas as a kind of laboratory where both chance and highly controlled interactions — between textures, colors, and forms — lead to discovery.My background in science and math trained me to think systematically while embracing uncertainty. In painting, I apply that same mindset — setting up constraints, experimenting within them, and allowing unexpected forms and techniques to emerge. There’s a push and pull between precision and chaos, like in scientific discovery. I treat the canvas as a kind of laboratory where both chance and highly controlled interactions — between textures, colors, and forms — lead to discovery.

THE FIGURES IN YOUR PAINTINGS OFTEN FEEL BOTH GROTESQUE AND WHIMSICAL. WHAT DRAWS YOU TO THIS STYLE, AND WHAT DO THESE CHARACTERS REPRESENT TO YOU?

I love tension — between the beautiful and the unsettling, the humorous and the strange. The figures in my work emerge organically, often beginning as loose forms that evolve into characters with their own peculiar presence. They reflect the way emotions and identities shift — sometimes awkward, sometimes joyful, always in flux. There’s also a childlike playfulness in them, which I think makes the grotesque feel more approachable.

YOU’VE MENTIONED YOUR DAUGHTER AS A MAJOR SOURCE OF INSPIRATION. HOW HAS HER CREATIVITY INFLUENCED YOUR APPROACH TO ART?

My daughter is 8 years old now and has been a huge source of inspiration for me. Her uninhibited way of creating — without self-consciousness or concern for logic — has been a huge influence. She reminds me to let go of control, to embrace play, and to find joy in the process. Her drawings of fantastical creatures and monsters, for example, has influenced aspects of my own visual language. I’m always fascinated by how children see the world — fluid, unpredictable, and full of possibility and magic. That energy is something I try to channel in my work.

YOUR WORK SEEMS TO EMBRACE CHAOS AND PLAYFULNESS WHILE MAINTAINING A SENSE OF CONTROL. WHAT ROLE DOES SPONTANEITY PLAY IN YOUR PRACTICE?

My work is informed by spontaneous experimentation, material exploration and form finding- these are the inputs to my process. It may not appear so, but there is a ton of planning and problem solving and control that goes into a painting. When working on a painting there is usually not much spontaneity happening at that stage- it’s all planned and I know exactly what I’m gonna be doing during each session. 

YOUR ART EXISTS IN A SPACE BETWEEN THE REAL AND THE IMAGINED. HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE THAT TENSION, AND WHAT DO YOU HOPE VIEWERS TAKE FROM IT?

I like that space — it feels like where dreams, emotions, and subconscious thoughts live. I want my work to feel familiar yet strange, like a memory distorted over time. Ideally, viewers bring their own interpretations, seeing something of themselves in the work. It’s less about conveying a specific message and more about opening a door to different ways of seeing and feeling. 

WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL REACTION WHEN 4BYSIX REACHED OUT TO COLLABORATE ON THIS PROJECT?

I’ve had the pleasure of working with the 4BYSIX team in the past and I’m thrilled to work with them and support their cause. I love when art can intersect with something bigger than itself, and 4BYSIX’s mission of using creativity for social impact really resonates with me. 

4BYSIX’S MISSION IS TO SUPPORT COMMUNITIES THROUGH CREATIVE PROJECTS. WHAT ABOUT THIS MISSION RESONATED WITH YOU PERSONALLY OR ARTISTICALLY?

Art has this incredible ability to shift perspectives, build connections, and make people feel seen. Supporting communities through creativity is powerful because it gives people a voice in ways that traditional systems often don’t. Personally, I believe art is at its best when it invites participation, dialogue, and new ways of thinking and seeing.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE PIECE YOU CREATED FOR THE 4BYSIX AUCTION? WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION, AND HOW DOES IT CONNECT TO YOUR OVERALL BODY OF WORK?

I’ve been exploring the concept behind this work for a while, the ideas of different rooms, intimate scenes and layered realities — both in physical texture and in narrative. It’s a representation of internal experiences and compartmentalization that can happen within us. There’s a domestic setting, but the figures feel out of place, morphing into something else and interacting. It’s a combination of comfort and discomfort; exploring how environments, emotions and experiences shape us and how we, in turn, shape them.

DO YOU THINK ART HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO SERVE A GREATER PURPOSE, OR DO YOU SEE PURPOSE AS SOMETHING ORGANIC THAT EMERGES FROM THE CREATIVE ACT ITSELF? WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HOPE TO SHARE WITH AUDIENCES WHO ENCOUNTER YOUR WORK THROUGH THIS COLLABORATION?

I think purpose emerges from the act itself. Some work carries direct social or political intent, and some is simply an exploration of form, feeling, or imagination — but even that has value. My hope is that people engage with my work in a way that sparks curiosity and reflection, whether that’s about themselves, their environment, or just the nature of perception itself.

TRANSFORMATION IS A RECURRING THEME IN YOUR WORK. HOW DO YOU SEE THIS COLLABORATION WITH 4BYSIX AS A MOMENT OF TRANSFORMATION IN YOUR OWN JOURNEY?

Every collaboration is an opportunity to step outside of my usual practice, to rethink my approach, and to engage with new audiences. Working with 4BYSIX reinforces the idea that art can extend beyond the canvas — it can be part of a larger conversation, influencing change in ways I might not anticipate.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU — AND HOW DO YOU HOPE TO CONTINUE USING ART AS A TOOL FOR EXPLORATION, EXPRESSION, OR EVEN CHANGE?

I’m continuing to push my work into new territory — experimenting with new techniques, materials, and themes. Ultimately, I see art as a lifelong process of discovery, and I want to keep that sense of exploration and personal growth at the core of everything I do.