Shaped by Water

TYPOGRAPHY, DESIGN, LAYOUT, GRIDS, INSTALITION, VIDEOGRAPHY, PROJECTION, PHOTOGRAPHY 



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Check out my senior thesis show, Shaped by Water, at the University of San Diego. Open from Febuary 2 - Febuary 6, 2026

Abstract:
       Water is the Columbia River Gorge, Baja’s gulf, and Mission Bay. It is the surf at O’ahu’s North Beach and the dramatic Oregon Coast. It is Portland’s Willamette River, Lanikai’s swell, and our entire livelihood. Being a waterman is to take pride in the meticulous strapping of boats and scrubbing off of saltwater. It is to sport raisined toes and Giant Fish. It is to understand the water and to seek it every day.    
       I was raised in the water, and I live there, still. My early years rowing crew were initiates of this lifestyle. Soon, shells turned into canoes, oars into paddles, and finally, I was looking forward. As I learned in my move to San Diego for college, surfing is a rite of passage in Southern California. Wing foiling is that of the Columbia River Gorge- my current “home base” and the downwinding capital of the world. All of these passions and their places have introduced me to loving communities, urged me into competition, and will inevitably continue to shape my life.
       I first entered the art world in my early teens through photography. My artistic timeline has somewhat paralleled that of my water sport journey, in the sense that I am constantly seeking new forms of expression. Throughout my three years studying visual arts at the University of San Diego, water has been a guiding theme in my sculptures, prints, photos, and graphic design. My mentors have commented on my tendency to capture water- so much so that one has suggested a trip with my camera to the Anza Borrego Desert to “get out of my comfort zone”, and others have questioned if I’m really shooting for projects at the beach… or if I’m just there to surf. As such an integral part of my life and my work, it is only fitting that my thesis attempts to capture this entity that captures me, too.