Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, I create under the name Malaise Dismay—a moniker that reflects the emotional weight and ambiguity present in my work. With no formal training, my style has developed organically, shaped by lived experience and instinct more than academic structure.

Working primarily with acrylic, stucco, and ink on canvas, I build textured, layered compositions that hover between the abstract and the figurative. Bold primary colors and raised surfaces play a central role, while drips, runs, and impasto techniques evoke a sense of erosion and emotional deterioration. Layering and dripping are signature elements of my process, not just aesthetic choices but visceral acts that mirror internal states.

My pieces often feature an implied or obscured observer within the composition—a presence that creates connection. You may not always recognize the form, but you feel it watching, witnessing. In this way, the work creates space for relativity and resonance; you never feel completely alone when viewing it.

At its core, Malaise Dismay is an exploration of quiet unrest—a visual language built from contradiction, texture, and vulnerability. The work is raw, reflective, and intentionally unresolved—inviting viewers to sit with discomfort, beauty, and all that lies between.