![]() |
Familial |
After many years of intensive furniture making, this work germinated in the course of graduate studies at the University of Massachusetts/Dartmouth on the northeast coast of the United States, from 1999-2002. Here, at last, I had room to explore my deeper artistic rhythms and uncover the essential roots of my creativity. I left the program with so much more than a Master of Fine Art degree; the wellspring of my work was clear, and the cadence of its unfolding continues to this day with the Lumenpear, Skyhull, and Seedpod series.
Familial (height: approx. 72"), made from elm tree branches, was a transitional piece from wood furniture to sculptural lighting. Its curving lines that seemed to hold space introduced the idea of working with armatures, and suggested a line of exploration with skin-like surfaces.
This naturally led to working with paper pulp of various sorts, and lots of contact with the Fibers department. Alight (width: 30") has copper wire "bones," and a skin of flax fiber. A series of pieces in this vein opened the work into a study of creating a sense of intimacy in physical spaces.