Artist Statement

My interdisciplinary practice, rooted in ceramic sculpture, mixed media, and photography, serve as a "Love Test" for humanity's relationship with aquatic ecosystems. Taking inspiration from real-world scientific observation, my artwork comments on aquatic-environmental conflicts and converts them into intimate statements of connection and despair. My work is driven by one primary question: “What does it mean to love something that is incapable of loving us back?”. By pairing scenes of fragile aquatic life with subtle tropes of romance and intimate titles, I suggest the viewer and the subject being "more than friends". My intention is to establish a connection between the viewer and artwork, to humanize and elevate the importance of my subjects. It is about establishing the human condition of love and empathy towards creatures seemingly out of reach, which ultimately rely on us for the health of their environments. The narratives I create involve my subjects being portrayed with elements to symbolize hope, beauty, and comfort, where then context clues reveal they are the receiver of conflict and despair. From this observation, the viewer is now engaged in being a bystander, becoming a toxic contributor in the relationship. It is not mutual, as our environment does not rely on us to thrive, but we have the ability to damage it. Where our environment can survive without us, we use it for our own gain. It is a one-sided relationship, where we hold all the power to either rebuild or send into disrepair. Through forms such as soft sculpture and bright colors, I intend for my work to feel approachable and comforting at first glance, only to be suddenly jarring and juxtaposing with the harsh reality of context relating to human interference upon closer observation, such as a fishing net, tire treads, or the sound of tearing flesh.
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Each work is a marriage between scientific research and technical execution. Whether I am creating a mudflat with tiretreads, or a baby whale calf isolated in a gallery space, I am fascinated with the "what" and the "why" of the process. The hours of repetition and the execution of varying materials are essential for me to establish a deeper connection with the subject, as the technical aspects alone create a sense of love and care. As I move away from the gallery pedestal and toward installation, I aim to alter the environment of the gallery itself. Inspired by environmental activists such as David Attenborough, and environmental artists such as Courtney Mattison, I intend to create bold, factual, and emotionally resonant scenes that inspire a profound, action-oriented respect for the critical ecosystems that sustain all life on our planet.