CTRL explores the tools we use to maintain control, or the illusion of such, over our lives. Organized and pinned on a wall, reminiscent of tools in a garage, the viewer is given a clean, organized composition to contemplate the content of the painting. While considering my subject matter, I interviewed those closest to me, inquiring about their attempts for control. Their answers reflected their personal interests, obsessions, perspectives, and neuroses. I felt that I'd gained insight into their inner worlds. The ìtoolsî pictured describe my efforts for control. Organizing my time and space, regulating my self image, rigorously planning, and striving for ìperfectionî are all ways I preserve the illusion of control. In the process of painting, I realized there's no true way to maintain absolute control over our lives, no matter how many intricate routines and habits we engage in. We are ultimately at the mercy of the world around us, but there's liberation in relinquishing control.