Small Jellyfish, 2003, Mixed media drawings, 4 x 4 x 3 inches
ARTIST'S BIO
My works are imaginary ecosystems whose ethereal and ephemeral qualities reflect an exploration of and a reverence for nature. These fantastic worlds take their direction from observing various processes of life. Birth, growth, and decay transcend species and extracting and manipulating certain fragments, the work speaks of the common threads shared between the micoscopic world and the universe. The inhabitants of the uncharted ecosystems are plants and creatures that are by turns familiar, alien, aquatic, terrestrial, or of the air. They possess a fragile quality that nonetheless evokes the strength of the life cycle, the behavior of botanical and zoological forms, and nature’s ordered and temporal qualities. With a careful hand and a great deal of patience I work with a variety of media, most often combining hand-stitching and sculptural forming with drawing and intaglio techniques.
Many of these pieces are interactive as they respond to the flow of air within the exhibition space and are stirred into motion by the proximity of the viewer. This effect attests to the universe’s constant state of flux, making the pieces very much alive in the movement and relationship to local environs. Both a spontaneous whimsy and a deeper philosophical meaning are intended by this aspect. It addresses how we choose to observe and relate to the work, and questions our degree of awareness as a presence or force in an environment both as individuals and a culture in the wake of a fast-paced, consumer-driven society.