ARTIST STATEMENT

The work explores the relationships between material, the body, and the self. As a queer individual early on my journey of becoming, process is the force that guides me in discovery. When working in the studio, I enjoy isolation and quietness to allow the intricacies of process to create a personal intimacy between myself and my material. I am growing and coming into being simultaneously with my work and it reflects this journey just as much as it informs it. Through great patience and steady determination, my work grows from the intangible to the tangible. This is not without complications, as materials tend to have a mind of their own, as does the human body.  Transitioning into becoming who I was always meant to be is something that takes a lot of time and unseen mental labor.  Likewise, my material and I work and grow together, informing each other during the long hours of intimate alone time. 

The finished works have a quiet presence that focuses viewers’ attention to the finer details, thus fostering curiosity and personal contemplation of what is presented. Although the forms I create are not necessarily representational, they address the body and our relationship to it. I utilize many different types of media but gravitate towards natural materials such as wood and clay as well as old, found objects. The living feeling of these materials and their complexity reminds me of my own body, and thus I enjoy exploring this relationship between material and self. Antony Gormley and his idea of the body as a found object heavily inspires the quietness and mood of my pieces as well as the handling of material. Nature also informs my work through movements, textures, and colors. We are all connected to this Earth in more ways that we realize.