"EDEN: The Urge" is a visual manifestation of impulse, desire, and the forces that drive us. This piece is both deeply personal and expansive, functioning as the left-center wing of a larger 9-part series of 38 × 50-inch works that interlock to form a nonlinear narrative. With three completed and six more to go, this ongoing project is an evolving meditation on human emotion, connection, and the pursuit of “EDEN.”
Created over a period of transition, the piece took shape as the artist completed their BFA at Saginaw Valley State University, entered grad school at the University of Michigan, and marked two birthdays in between. While logistical constraints delayed its completion, the extended process became integral to its final form. The intricate patterns, panels, and characters woven throughout the composition reflect the artist’s evolving visual language. One that merges humor, introspection, and narrative storytelling.
Conceptually, "EDEN: The Urge" engages with the raw energy of spontaneity. The urge so to speak. The urge to laugh, love, be present with family and friends, to pray, to act on instinct. It draws from religious iconography and narrative storytelling, blending the spiritual with the mundane. As with "EDEN: Beyond Fond (Of Her)", which examined love, and "EDEN: Yūgen", which delved into existential depth, this piece invites the viewer to define “the urge” for themselves. It is an open-ended proposition. One that echoes the unpredictable yet universal impulses that shape our lives.
