Artist Statement

I have always been fascinated with common found objects made by man and reshaped by the forces of time, man, and nature. Wind, waves, sand, sun, machines, hands, all working together to decompose the item, returning its elements to nature. I gather these relics and artifacts, envisioning ways to integrate them into my work. A piece of iron, or wood, a brick, a bottle, an old tool. Anything is fair game for inclusion.

My work references culture by the juxtaposition of these everyday items with other objects. Some of the artifacts have strong cultural, even cross cultural and international importance by themselves. A coke bottle is an iconic symbol used on a daily basis around the world. I manipulate and combine these objects with constructions, into something completely new and hopefully unexpected and intriguing to the viewer.

In my current work, I manipulate common glass bottles so they maintain their recognizable origins, but flow and bend in unusual ways as if they were compacted like soda cans. I am deconstructing the vessel and reconstructing it as a new form. In some cases the vessels become metaphors for the shell of the psyche, while other objects represent cultural influences. In other cases, it is purely an experiment with form.