My work is an extension of the body and a means of processing lived experiences. Through sculpture I explore the effects of chronic mental and physical illness on the body and spirit, the nuances surrounding strained familial relationships and generational trauma, the intersection of gender and sexuality, the processing of time and age, and most importantly, the discovery and acceptance of self through physical creation. Such themes are represented in both literal and abstracted forms. Narratives are conveyed through the behavioral properties of the material at hand; hope and despair, pain and resilience, masculinity and femininity translate as hard and soft, natural and industrial, fragile and sound.
A crucial element within my practice is the importance of labor. Whether it be welding harsh steel, weaving baskets from hand-picked vine, or sewing sweet nothings into muslin and lace- all sculptural mediums demand a sacrifice from the body. It comes as a form of punishment as much as one of catharsis. The constant loop of working and reworking evokes a trance-like state in which I am able to tune out the rest of the world and become intimate with the object. It is both the ultimate form of rebellion against my own disabled body, as well as the best way I know to honor it and thank it for all it has endured and produced in this lifetime.