Fulfilling a compulsion / obsession to create objects is why the work gets made.The one thing in life that truly feels natural is making art. The art itself feels as though it has a life of its own.  Through the evolution of the work it grows and changes transforming, evolving.  The main goal is to allow this evolution to continue and to fuel the fire, by experimenting as much as possible.

 

The selection of clay as my primary medium did not happen from the beginning, I began with paint. The way the paint can be pushed around and mixed together right on the canvas was exciting. Trying many different mediums before working with clay, I learned a lot of techniques but never felt a true connection with my art.  The work felt more personnel after the realization that all the other mediums provided techniques applicable to working in clay. Which then lead to a more emotional connection to my work.

 

Currently the work is influenced by many things but mostly dilapidated architectural structures such as old forest fire look out towers, mining structures and railroad bridges. These architectural forms influence the work but instinct and spontaneity guide the forming. It is refined  by  focusing on design, texture, color and form.  The result is work that evokes simple emotions (fear, curiosity, anger, sadness, etc.).  By following instincts more than my conscience, really raw sculptures are achieved. These pieces evoke a feeling of great mystery and a sense of history.

 

Include in this show are new pieces that are not clay. I decided to dabble with the mission of creating sustainable art.  I began by gathering a selection of materials that were reclaimed from various sources. Much of the material would have ended up in the garbage. I used materials such as hardware cloth, wood strips from deconstructed baskets and left over thread and string.  I continued to use the same concepts that drive my ceramic work.

 

The best way to describe my recent work is as abstractions of architectural objects. Each is an enigma, a mystery revealing very little as to a definable subject matter.  The cryptic imagery used defies definition.  This creates situations where the viewer and the art can interact in a unique way. Each viewer must define what is being seen for him or herself.