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“I usually draw portraits of people, as I simply find people—humanity as whole—much more interesting than other species of animals. Unexpectedly, this piece has a special place in my heart because of how much joy it brought me. I wanted to try something different, to do something I had never done before, purely for my own amusement. I realized that, in all my years of creating art, I’ve never actually painted an animal (other than humans); so, I painted a pig. There’s so significant or “deep” meaning behind this painting. I did not intend for it to be symbol of rampant consumerism or systemic racism or “society”. It’s just a pig, and that’s all there is to it. For once, there’s nothing to explain about what my art work means, but maybe it means something special to you. After all, art is subjective and we can find meaning in anything, regardless if it has an intended purpose or not. You could interpret it as a representation of good luck or gluttony or humor. Maybe it reminds you of a comforting memory or a person who makes you laugh. Or not. Maybe, to you, it’s a pig. Because it has no meaning. In a way, it’s whatever you can imagine.

As an artist, there’s so much pressure to create art that is inherently meaningful and purposeful. Though, most of my work reflects this. I do enjoy creating works that speak to the flaws in our society, issues of social justice that should be addressed and discussed. I usually paint, draw, or sketch with the intention of social commentary. I find there’s almost a sort of strange sense of perfectionism in the elitist world of modern art where it never seems enough to simply create. Of course, art is advocacy and art is so incredibly powerful. But, It’s also silly and fun and weird and whatever you want it to be: that’s the beauty of art. So, in that sense, sometimes it’s nice to just escape the struggles of the world for a while and to just paint a pig.”