projects
beloved
These portraits began during the pandemic, an especially jarring time of separation and distance from others. In that longing, depictions of dear friends and loved ones were made, a gold bar placed atop each piece as a reference to the golden halos seen in traditional portraits of holy figures and icons. Rather than directly above the head, these bars fill a large portion of the piece, symbolizing how we are all held in love and sacredness by the divine. The title "Beloved" is an ongoing name, given to all the works without distinction or hierarchy of any individual, emphasizing each and every person’s belovedness.
Return to Projects→
communion
pedestals
These pedestals were custom made for the Elm City Vineyard Church as liturgical works to hold the elements of communion. The pedestals were brought out and put away weekly, due to the congregation’s use of another church's sanctuary for their services. The designs for the pedestals capture the soft and powerful characteristics of God, offering additional reverence to the practice of communion. Simplicity and a small footprint were important in the design, as well as portability and durability. Handles were incorporated, hidden within the form, and epoxy was used to give it rigidity while remaining light weight.
Return to Projects→
practices
of peace
These figures are interpretations of spiritual practices that help facilitate inner and outer peace in our lives and communities. In collaboration with the non-profit Peace Right Here, the figures have been used as a way of understanding how to embody restoration and imagine alternatives to conflict. The non-profit holds events and workshops, and the sculptures have been incorporated in presentations and even as models for live demonstration.
Return to Projects→
crowds
“Crowds” is a series of photographic works light-heartedly representing our technology-driven disconnection from each other. The figures display a mixture of everyday postures, art-historical references, and imaginative poses, rooted in classical proportions with idealized forms, and hidden under a gestural and impressionistic surface of epoxy and paint. Through these photographs, the shuffling of characters allows for interesting scenes capturing confusion, ambivalence, and what happens when we miss each other. Intentional narrative is removed
from each scene, and in its seemingly random arrangement the ambiguity reinforces each figure isolated from the whole.
Return to Projects→
liturgical
figures
Liturgical space and art can powerfully support meditation and contemplation, as a tangible connection or representation of the spirit of God. This group of sculptures were made for various spaces, such as universities and churches, representing a way of relating to faith, ourselves, and our world. The themes of stillness, openness, and humility are highlighted in each pose, incorporating postures and gazes that are open to what is unknown and hopeful for that which is awe-inspiring.
Return to Projects→
postures
of humility
This series of works was commissioned by a church for Lent, depicting different postures one can take to connect with God. Each Sunday of the Lent season featured a teaching that highlighted a different embodiment of humility, so the design needed to easily accommodate weekly alterations. The presentation had to be large and remain simple for congregants to be able to view it at any location in the spacious sanctuary. Using movable felt shapes, each individual posture is an imaginative and theological response to prompts, such as bow, walk, bend and shout, offering a visual meditation in accompaniment to the sermon given.
