I construct earnest objects that proudly present themselves despite their shy nature. These sculptures are usually combinations of fabric finery, wood, or metal. Craftsmanship is a key element of my practice. Many works include hand-sewn elements and I am a stickler for details.
I harvest the soft, sweet, naive, or nostalgic characteristics of reclaimed objects and materials to reconstruct them into sculptural emblems. These emblems are representative of resonant sensory memories—from a flower girl being the center of attention for a fleeting moment to a funeral attendee noticing the deceased's hair lie pristinely on an impossibly soft pillow. Not all of these memories are my own, many are fabricated or reconfigured. My work spotlights the contrast of color, luster, and material that sparks the recollection of these memories. By highlighting contrast, like dark strands of sleek hair against a white cotton pillow cloth, I hope my work registers with the viewer as a moment frozen in time when it draws on their own memories of shared experiences.
My work tries to tug on the same impulse that wells up when you see a puppy or a cute baby— ballooning affection that draws you into delivering a big wet smooch on the forehead of something that deserves love beyond measure. Although my work is unsettling to some, to those who share the sensory response of these emblems, the affection towards them as something impactful yet fleeting is clear.