- Clay is recognized as a timeless, archaeological material. In some cases it stands as one of the few links to past civilizations, pre-Columbian antiquities or clay tablets from the Ancient Near East for example. My ceramic sculptures build upon our view of ceramics as historical markers while addressing current culture.
- Representation through clay is an indisputable form of symbolism, and the viewer is invited to approach this work with a mind open to metaphor. My artworks are manifestations–cultural myth in material form. I have a tendency to anthropomorphize everything around me, so it’s only natural that any lump of clay left in my presence is given life. My sculptures are guardians, gods, spirits, and charms. It is a challenge to establish balance between cute (appealing but easily dismissed) and creepy (interesting yet alienating). Any spiritual undertones from my sculptures are intended to remind the beholder of their own values and dreams. I want my clay-formed beings to truly live and be benevolent companions… to listen, encourage, protect and comfort.
- Although clay has the ability to mimic a wide variety of materials, I strive to keep my sculptures unmistakably ceramic in appearance. The surfaces are left wholly or partially unglazed, and high-temperature reduction firing creates an aged appearance. Coil-lined surfaces are kept visible in an effort to celebrate the building process. Paradoxically, my work has strong aesthetic links to the contemporary and cartoonish Pop-Surreal (Lowbrow) art movement. Hayao Miyazaki’s animated films have also influenced my work greatly. As an internet culture junky I am constantly devouring images and information which inform the work.