In my drawing, sculpture, and printmaking I combine expressiveness with representation. My drawings are based in realism, but my drawn subjects become a form of expression through development of details. I enjoy the transition from lines and shading into light, shadow, and form. The process of drawing makes me see the ordinary in a different way. The machined details of a garlic press become beautiful to me when examined so closely. Printmaking encourages me to use more expressive gestures through carving techniques and surface texture. Simplification of values gives details a different dimension.
My sculptures allow exploration through experimentation with materials. Sculpture challenges me to take materials unrelated to the subject and use them as a three-dimensional replacement to the lines and shapes I use in drawing. Abstraction of varying levels allows expressive qualities to emerge.
In my found object sculptures, the level of abstraction comes from the materials and the simplified lines that suggest the form. Below this, however, lies an effort to maintain the subject's characteristics. In my most recent series, I used metal curtain hooks, zip ties, paper clips, electronic components, and hardware to create a mosquito and spiders. The examination of how to form the detail in these subjects was similar to the exploration of linear choices in drawing.