Short Bio
Southwestern Encaustic Painter
Statement
My work reflects the mundane unavoidable struggles of life. Aging, grief, death, and dying all are experiences we share as humans and animals. My concepts come from my experiences with PTSD treatments, where facing the inevitable fear of what is to come helps to understand the trauma better. Through my art, I try to show humanity’s commonality, that we all share these life struggles. By facing them, we may not fully come to terms with the inevitable, but we may somehow understand our existence a bit better.
My taxidermy artwork uses animal skulls that are ethically sourced and painted using archival encaustic techniques.
Biography
Avian received their Bachelors of Fine Arts from Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire. After college they joined the US Army spending 5 years in the 101st Airborne. Returning home after their deployment to Afghanistan, they spent years trying to cope with the loss of friends and the effects of PTSD.
Painting has become an outlet for Avian, providing a platform to discuss issues of mental health and mental illness. The use of patterns on organic surfaces across their portfolio creates references to individual traumatic memories and the difficulty of daily mundane activities.
Their goal is to fight the stigmatization of trauma and provide inspiration and hope to others that suffer through similar experiences.
