"Suicide, rape, slavery, these are all just a few problems that plague mankind in this day and age. Most of these problems reach close to home for many people and could include you and your family or friends. Through my art, I hope to arouse a deep understanding of ourselves in relation to those around us. These works delve into the memories and events, which some people might rather forget. They reflect real-life stories and events of people I know, or others I have read about. To reflect on these issues, I employ the use of montage in order to relate to our scrambled process of making and recalling memories. The overlap of images and transparency allows the viewer to relate it to life because our narratives are always building and there are always areas that need refining. Our memories are often selective and partial, frequently causing us to forget details of the past. We all have many experiences and memories - some good, some bad - but through these works, hopefully the viewer can better understand the social issues that plague our world today." -Patrick Richardson