ARTIST’S STATEMENT

Art in any form has always been thought of as an expression of raw emotions. I believe this to be true, inasmuch as those emotions are linked to your experiences and personality in a profound way. My personal connections to natural beauty, the biological and physical sciences, and nature in general inspires me to simplify forms and present them in new visual perspectives.

I have an extraordinary hold of art history that enriches my work in several ways. First, I tend to take in and process the works of those I admire and share similar visions with. Rousseau, Naom Gabo, Alexander Calder, Magritte, Dali; all of these artists and others help me to understand how to communicate and what important details to stress and uphold when presenting a visual art form. Secondly, I place great importance upon attempting to create and present something that really is new and unique. I cannot and will not engage in “tribute” work that simply copies a specific artist’s work. This has no value for me because it eliminates the challenge and excitement I receive when visualizing a new piece. I no doubt incorporate some elements of others’ work, but I do not seek to tread ground where someone else has already treaded. Lastly, it is the rich past of art that inspires me to explore why it is so crucial in society and certainly necessary. This last idea stresses the importance of community in art and how art can move people in ways nothing else can. I feel proud to have a part in presenting art to my community.

There were many years where I engaged exclusively in photography. My lust for capturing natural beauty on film brought me to many places and allowed me to focus on details in my environment that I would otherwise ignore. Certainly my visual skills were enhanced and it was a great way to learn what kind of things attracted my eye and what colors really inspired me. My interest in attempting sculpture came years after doing photography for quite a while.

My work represents a good deal of experimentation with various media. It is obvious however that some themes do arise. My natural inclination is towards organic forms and bold primary colors suit me just fine. My interest in kinetic art started with my very first piece. Spatial study shows my intent to create sculpture that can be modified to suit lighting conditions, balance, symmetry, and motion. In order for a piece to be truly dynamic, I feel there should be an infinite number of perspectives involved, at all times. This makes the piece more enduring, intriguing, and fascinating.

My love for working with Plexiglas fulfills my desire to play with light and translucent objects. Plexiglas provides the bold colors and smoothness that I find very appealing when presenting visual media.

So where from here? My goal is to produce simple, kinetic Plexiglas sculptures that can represent a thematic series of work. I tell the same thing to everyone: “I’m never short on ideas.” Some people ask how I think up some of the ideas I have come up with. I have a visual mind and can see a piece moving and working in my head. I don’t always know what colors are involved or exactly what shapes the elements of the work will have, but I can see the logistics and inner workings. Then, form follows function much like evolution and biology. Science certainly has a tremendous influence over how I think. My work reflects my deep admiration and wonder for all things natural, biotic or abiotic as the case may be.