October 27, 2019

The most vital aspect of my artwork is communication. At its purest level, my artwork serves to describe some aspect of reality I cannot with only words. The fundamental faults in the rigidity of language have made these elusive concepts in question innumerable, but the examples that interest me most are tied directly to human nature. 

I am interested in tapping into the rawest level of human sensation - the most universal truths of our species - and capturing a snapshot in my imagery. I am excited by the idea of stripping away the bells and whistles of the individual’s story, and focusing rather on the feelings associated. These sensations serve as some of the most truly communicable ideas in art as they focus entirely on an aspect of the human condition rather than the specifics of an individual’s history. When viewers interact with my work, I want them to recognize a moment in their life where they have felt the way my imagery appears, rather than superimposing the details of my stories on one of theirs. 

In an effort to communicate the specifics of sensation but leave the details of the story to be filled by the viewer, much of the work I create involves abstracted figures. I am interested in reducing the human form to its most defining elements, focusing on things like the ridges created by engaged muscle fibers or almost animalistic poses. I am particularly interested in visible moments of tension within the body such as the duality of seemingly clenched but splayed toes, and the display of primal poses in a way that is almost unnerving to consider viewing in modern society. By stretching and squeezing my figures into abstracted forms, I am able to eliminate physical details that may make it difficult for the viewer to identify with the figure in the work while highlighting the most crucial aspects. 

My work varies greatly in materials, but my primary interests lie in cast bronze, aluminum and iron as well as stone carving. In the past I have used ceramic, wood and fabricated elements and intend to continue to expand my repertoire as I am introduced to more materials that may be effective in communication of my themes. 

I am very excited by the casting process and am interested in carrying this interest into its own line of work. I believe true mastery is not achieved until one can use intentional mistakes to force outcomes into a process. Building on this idea, I would like to pursue a series of intentional miscastings and pieces involving the interactions are various casting techniques and metals that put a large amount of emphasis on process itself.