Artist Statements
I see my work as a continuation of ideas that are constantly evolving. Each piece of art builds on the notions and thoughts of previous work. Some times I explore certain ideas more extensively than others, and this exploration can be seen as a series.
I would like it noted that while I have divided my work into separate series with a statement specific to each, these are not separate bodies of work. All of my work is concerned with an overall exploration of nature, folklore, and the connection that exists between people and the natural world.
Days Like a Passing Shadow
This series is still a work in progress. To learn more about my thoughts so far read my blog post.
Summer Fading Quiet
Late summer nights, hazy, full of the potential for magic, enchantingly wild, yet filled with a quiet desperation. These nights will soon pass. The flowers will wither, and the fireflies die. Winter will slowly gather its cloak of cold over all. But tonight, tonight is still summer.
Late summer is a time of bottled possibility where wonder is made all the more sweet by the knowledge that is will soon be gone. In my series Summer Fading Quiet, I explore this fading wonder through two different mediums.
The first part of the series is made up of acrylic paintings that draw on folklore and the mystery of the woods on a summer evening. These paintings are more illustrational in design, often showing characters suspended in a moment of wonder.
The second part of the series is mixed media and incorporates actual bits of ‘summer’ into the paintings. Here I use objects that are strongly tied to summer such as cicada wings, bottles of dandelion fuzz, bird bones, etc. These paintings are less illustrational and more organic. I use many trees and glowing lights to share the possibility of late summer.
So for this night, let us drink in summer, let us chase fireflies, let us dare to stray from the forest path.
Swallowed by the Greenwood
In my series, Swallowed by the Greenwood, I use imagery that shows the body in a state of transition. My figures sprout, bud, send out rootlets, and grow into the landscapes they find themselves in. They act upon the environment, as it in turn, acts upon them, symbolizing the inextricable connection between person, earth, and the process of growth.
I am very interested in the process of growth and decay. As I saw when walking in the woods, decay and loss are necessary parts of the process of growth. As my figures merge with the landscapes they must lose themselves. The resulting loss of self is crucial for the development of a new self.
Folklore and Faerie
Faeries lurk in the forgotten places of this world. Between a rotting tree and the side of an abandoned building will-o-the wisps call to the dreamers, the curious. Do you hear their Call? Are you drawn the mysterious hollows of the wood? Do you long to dance in a faerie ring of scarlet mushrooms and broken crystal?
If you too hear the Faerie call then I welcome you to take a journey with me as I explore this sad little world in search of the unseen wonder that is all around.
I draw inspiration for this series from traditional folklore and stories. This is an ongoing series.
Elements of Story
I find the art of storytelling fascinating. How a tale can grow and change, whispered across campfires, or told to lull a child to bed. In this series I started by focusing on specific fairy tales. I wanted to capture the idea of the story, instead of just illustrating a scene from it. I will probably expand my focus from the well known fairy tales to more obscure, but no less enchanting tales.
Barely Dreaming
This series is a reflection on summer. I use mixed media to gather the bits of thought and feeling related to the joy of summer and the loss of its passing.
I usually paint upon re-purposed panels or hand stretched canvas. I have been experimenting with encapsulating objects in resin. These objects directly relate to the artwork and stress the material nature of the piece.
For example, in Cicada Song the left side panel is composed of resin capsules which have real cicada wings, charms and other bits of ephemera embedded in them.