Statement
As a child, I was surrounded by barns full of old things; greasy chainsaws in many pieces, parts of dusty old cars, empty cow stalls full of collected junk. I grew up in a very rural area on a farm, with very few animals. It was more a farm of forgotten objects, a graveyard of broken machines, all waiting for exploration. Ever since I was young I’ve been exploring, taking things apart, figuring out how they are made and how they work, and trying to fix that which is broken. I never had many toys, but I always had things to play with, as long as I used my imagination. So many people and objects inspired me to use my hands. Even my grandmother could take apart her lawnmower and make it work again.
I began making things at a young age. I had to make things; this was how I would play, and often, the only way I could express myself. I think that somewhere along the way to adulthood many people lose their ability to play. They are too inhibited, too much has happened and they can’t find that place very often. When creating my artworks I am attempting to enter this place of play and exploration that I want to be in, even as an adult. I also want my audience to experience this. By making work that is kinetic and almost always interactive I can achieve this goal. When a person interacts with my sculpture and it moves, dances, lights up, or makes noise, something happens between the object and the viewer. There is a relationship that is created. It is often an unpredictable and magical experience where they get to step into a place of childlike discovery.
My sculptures are playful inventions, delightful toy machines. At present I am making mechanical collages, powered by hand cranks, music boxes, motors, or by chains that are pulled. I am fascinated with the past, including my own family history. I collect old objects (boxes, toys, dolls, newspapers) and am especially captivated by old photographs (in particular, photographs of children and dolls.) I frequently incorporate these found objects and photographs into my creations. These creations are whimsical and lyrical, but they often have an underlying sense of melancholy and nostalgia. The joy one achieves when interacting with these intricate artworks is often paired with the sadness of a lost age. They can bring back memories of a place, person or time that no longer exists.