Bio and Contact

I have difficulty answering the question, “what does your art mean?” I find myself frustrated when I am asked this. Can’t art simply just be what it is? Afterall, I rarely hear the question asked towards artists who primarily paint landscapes, or nude models. I know why I am so frequently asked this question, however. It is because I don’t paint the beauty of the earth, nor paint non-specific figures in non-specific settings. My art involves non-real humans in strange and somewhat surreal situations. This brings up questions, because it appears complex. 
All art has meaning. I cannot deny that, no matter how much I avoid the question. An ambiguous art piece’s meaning can come from the historical context of the time the piece was created, the experiences the artist has had that affected them subconsciously, or frustrations and passions of the artist. I am accepting that this is true of myself. I am passionate about music, art history, horror media, and not following gender binaries. I am frustrated by the lack of action against hatred, against climate change, against violence. If one is to deeply analyze my work, they might see some of these frustrations peeking through. But first and foremost, they will see my five major influences:
I prefer to paint non-real people, because they can act as both extensions of myself, and embodiments of the human condition. My reactions to real world issues help fuel emotion into my work, whether it be disappointment, melancholy, or disjointedness. Music influences the tone in my work and helps to kickstart my brainstorming process. I have a deep love and fascination for historical art, especially in the Baroque period. This inspiration lends to my choice of color and composition. Horror media is my final influence. This inspires a lot of my more unnerving subject matter. I can’t say why I am fascinated by the ominous, but I just find the combination of beauty and oddity creates an interesting sense of uneasiness and isolation, especially when portrayed subtly. 
These factors are what make my art what it is, and can lend to its meaning. I may be asking a lot of my curious viewers; forcing them to figure out my art’s meaning for themselves, but a person would be unsure of how to answer the question “what do you, as an individual, mean?” Answering this question would cause one some discomfort, as they would have to claim that their very existence is supposed to serve a purpose, or to send a message. It is like assuming that we must all be martyrs in some sense. That is why I have difficulty answering the question of what my art means. My art is what I like, it is my stream of consciousness, it is what I want to see. Yes, it does have meaning, but instead of turning the art piece into words, let it be what it is.