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A central theme in my work is the interconnectivity between all
things in nature - organic and inorganic, plant, animal and human.
My work also draws from a deep connection I feel with the art of
ancient cultures, e.g. Egyptian, Pre-Columbian, and Hindu. I'm intrigued
by how art in the ancient past was used as a way to connect with
otherworldly realms and to represent beings that dwelled there.
I experience the creation of my work as playing in this ancient
tradition of making objects that represent such otherworldly beings
or deities, and in the process, am allowing my own mythology to
emerge along with suggested narratives.
I explore these themes with a multi-phase process that combines
digital photography and sculpture. I start by creating a sculpture
that contains some combination of animal, human and botanical elements,
using a wide range of materials that includes different types of
clay, polyurethane resin and acrylic paint. I then photograph the
sculpture in a natural environment, incorporating various elements
of the landscape into the composition and narrative, working with
seasonal variations, different terrains, and various objects that
nature provides, such as branches, acorns, fallen leaves, etc. Locations
have included the woods of rural Connecticut and the mountains of
upstate New York.
Travel has served as a tremendous inspiration in the creation of
my work. I was profoundly inspired by a trip I took in 2006 to South
India, where I visited temple complexes with extraordinary carvings
and sculptures. I was especially moved by the co-existence of animal
deities depicted in the sculptures and live animals, such as cows
and monkeys, roaming around the temple grounds. This juxtaposition
gave me the sense that the scenes depicted in the sculptures were
still being played out around me in the present.
Important contemporary influences on my work include Ana Mendieta
and Andy Goldsworthy and their collaborations with nature. I am
also inspired by the whimsical quality of Tom Otterness' work as
well as Charles Simmonds' sculptures reminiscent of Native American
cliff dwellings.
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