My hand-built ceramic sculptures take the form of stylized figures and animals that reflect problematic relationship between humans and the natural world. Like monsters, these clay figures often act as a warning, or show some sort of unfamiliar reality through their distortions and abstractions. My work references some visual language used in art historical periods like the 1960’s and 70’s Funk Ceramics movement, as well as some other familiar historical conventions. Frequently, an uncanny and strange sense of humor is used as a hook, inviting an audience to look at something more serious than initially implied by these playfully articulated works.
Current day and historical environmental issues influence the work I make. I grew up on a 14-mile stretch of the Androscoggin River in Maine that currently requires an oxygen bubbler to prevent the fish from suffocating. Because of this, I foster environmental awareness. Having lived in proximity to a river that has been partially revitalized, but is still on life support, inspires me to research global environmental problems and models for solutions. This research guides me to the people involved in environmental conflicts, and ultimately informs the iconography and characters that inhabit my work.