Letters I Never Sent

Letters I Never Sent started as a quick + handy way to put ideas down and later be made into paintings. Soon after, it became more than just ideating.

"I do my best thinking when I'm lost" was created during a particularly tough week. I wanted to mimic certain visual cues from a postcard and married this with a pastel drawing of a scene. The scene represents a place I wanted to be, but more so connected with the people there. A place with a lot of meaning and memories. I haven't been able to put these feelings into words until now but am grateful I can express myself through painting above all.

I do my best thinking when I'm lost, 2021, Acrylic, Pastel, Pencil on Paper.

I love the feeling of holding a paperback book, carrying Moleskines around and writing. I often wonder what life was like when sending letters was the norm. The envelope carries the message to the destination, filled with words and sometimes images. Words of love, truth, sadness, everything. Images of life and memories. Were people more truthful? Did they convey their real truths? What if the letter got lost, and the communication ended? 

All these questions fill my mind as I think about times I wish I had made that phone call. The times I missed an opportunity to convey love and honesty. All the things that are seemingly hard to say to someone's face, or over the phone. You hear their voice, their changes in breath or cries.

The notion of sending real feelings to someone's letterbox has been prevalent in my thought process since September 2020. I created a project called Notes for Friends, where people could nominate themselves, or friends, to receive a free artwork + poem straight to their letterbox. It was during the brut of the pandemic and I wanted to share my talents + love. 

Familiar symbols, 2021, Acrylic, Pastel, Pencil, Marker on Paper.

Map of An Undefined Path, 2021, Acrylic, Pastel, Pencil, Marker on Paper.

Map of An Undefined Path shows a growing notion of allowing yourself to imagine your wildest dreams and turning them into your truth. By creating a defined path, we will follow it without hesitation, often falling into its trap. I ponder the undefined path I have forged over the last 5 years. It includes looking toward what’s in front of me at that particular moment and defining my growing goals rather than sticking to a straightforward defined path.

Letters I Never Sent continues to fuel my curiosity about our current age of communication. It is easier to tell someone your secrets, sure. Yet, most still struggle with saying the words. Letters won't solve the world, but I continue to chase that feeling; the surprise, elation, and of course, the thought to follow that comes with receiving a heartfelt letter.