Statement
For most, Art is a noun. Defined by the Oxford dictionary as “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination…”. However, to me Art is also a verb defined as an action that exhibits itself in both abstract and concrete aspects of life.
When I create, I explore my theme through several mediums. I liken my process of genre hopping and hybridizing to the seamless and fluid way nature evolves and changes over time. This evolutionary approach is further evident when I find myself years later returning to a particular piece of art and altering it in some way. As Leonardo da Vinci states, “Art is never finished, only abandoned”.
As an artist I am interested in repurposing whenever possible. I am committed to exploring how things are able to morph from one thing to another. Upcycling and assemblage play prominent roles in much of my creative expression. Sometimes this is evidenced by combining several pieces from previously existing artworks while other times it comes in the form of working directly with found objects from estate sales. These aspects of creation manifest in both my personal artwork and my professional discipline of interior design. The Japanese term ‘Mottainai‘ best captures this design approach; “Don’t waste what is valuable”.
This concept has always been a part of my life. I was greatly influenced by a story my father shared with me when I was young. During WWII, my grandparents celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. My dad, greatly wanting to create a silver foil banner commemorating the event, faced many road-blocks. His largest hurdle was the lack of available supplies during wartime. In his relentless quest he discovered that my uncle’s photography studio discarded the tiny pieces of silver colored foil which protected the roles of unused film. Over the course of several weeks, as the film was unwrapped for use, he collected pieces, carefully separated the foil components of the wrap from the rest of the material, ironed the foil flat, and painstakingly glued it to large cardboard letter cut-outs. Though this process took time, care, skill, focus, and heart it cost nothing more than a little creativity and hard work. Though the materials and objects I work with are often more ‘upscale’, it is with this ideology that I approach my creative practice for both myself and for my clients.

