Razor Sharp: Prints (2021) Linoleum block, ink, fabric, paper
Still Life Print From Observation (2022) Linoleum block, ink, paper
Still Life in Charcoal (2022) Paper, charcoal.
Cow Scene (2021) Sculptamold, wire mesh, paint, plastic cows.
refractions: light installation (2022)
Artist Statement
As a designer, I am interested in play and humor. My work shows a balance between playful, literal motifs and technical craft. In much of my work, I repeat patterns of interlocking forms taken from nature, my interpretation of things that melt, ooze, and flow. Building art pieces that fit together in metalsmithing is difficult because the materials are unpredictable and particular, but that is part of what makes it worthwhile. I make parts that fit together, whether they are 5mm or 5 meters, because I like to make materials interact and build my craftsmanship.
I further explored creating pattern with reflected light in kaleidoscopic lights in my Refractions installation, a piece I created in a school hallway for a project-based STEAM class. Refractions was about mixing literal with abstraction, function with aesthetic, light with dark. My textile design with linoleum stamps is another example of how literal objects become abstract patterns from afar.
With Worldbuilders, a personal project I’ve been developing since the start of high school, I created a kit of unconventional model making materials that encourage kids to imagine and redesign their communities. This kit has been used as a tool to involve young kids in the design process of new playgrounds, parks, and community spaces. The materials are more freeing than traditional art supplies and invite the young designer to look beyond what already exists. The demo photos are tiny tableaus I made to show the user how scale can be manipulated and to encourage them to think about household items like cucumbers as structural pieces.
In metal projects, I like distilling objects from nature (like eggs, insects, corn, and oranges) into simple, elegant forms that are recognizable to the viewer but represented in a playful way. These projects, like the wax-carved corn cob handle or the copper-applique dragonfly wing, start from reference material and veer into more liberal interpretations as the process progresses. Part of the nature of metalsmithing is embracing new discoveries and letting mistakes guide the evolution of the pieces.