During my four years at George Mason, I was introduced to many mediums and techniques. As a freshman in college, I focused on creating works that incorporated found materials. Scavenging for supplies in thrift shops and using my personal arsenal of childhood treasures allowed me to add a layer of subtle, anecdotal personhood to my work.
Somewhere in the channel between sophomore and junior year, the materials in my sculptures shifted from prefabricated plastic to the handmade and tactile. I began repurposing fabric remnants to create large-scale, vividly-colored wall installations depicting my own drawings and designs.
At the beginning of senior year, I traded my medium of found fibers for found papers. Working with paper gives me an infinite supply of material which allows me to produce an abundant body of work. Not only are my materials bountiful, but I am able to manipulate them and turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Handwork is an important aspect of my artistic style. My creative method is firmly rooted in meticulous dexterity and determination. Driven to create, I produced a series of multiples. I craft each piece by hand. These hands are not produced with a die-cut machine - I have cut each one out individually with an x-acto knife.
Some might call me obsessive for creating my work in this way, but art is my obsession. I am a compulsive artist, with no end in sight, and no desire to stop. The flame within me is burning strong. I am grateful for this ability and opportunity to turn my dreams into reality.
I cannot be solely defined as a sculptor, because I also have my hand in several other concentrations: drawing, printmaking, photography and painting. During my years at George Mason University, I have traversed the invisible boundaries that separate the concentrations and have become wildly passionate about several different areas.
* The images below are photo documentation of my installation for my senior thesis show from May 2013. This was my semester-long final project that encompassed everything I've learned throughout my time as a BFA student in the Art and Visual Technology program at George Mason University.
* The images below are photo documentation of my installation for my senior thesis show from May 2013. This was my semester-long final project that encompassed everything I've learned throughout my time as a BFA student in the Art and Visual Technology program at George Mason University.
Using my best tools, my hands, I individually cut out each component with an x-acto knife.
My process is firmly rooted in handmade multiplicity. I create because I was created, sculpted by the greatest master of all time – God.
I sculpt not only to honor Him, but also to give praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, for He has given these gifts to me.
My hope is to bring buoyancy and whimsy into the world.
I feel called to be a light in the darkness.
Hands are powerful and expressive; they have the power to do more than words.
Life is our chance to see how we use them.
Mary Oliver’s bold question from her poem ‘A Summer Day’ inspired this installation: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
