statement

In the medium of glass, I have discovered my real passion. I find glass to be physically demanding and tactile, yet also emotionally transformative. I enjoy striving to overcome the obstacles inherent in the physical process of firing and cooling this fragile and recalcitrant material—for so in doing I find myself exploring my own reactions to the natural word and to the lovely, primary forms found there. These days, as I mold, cast, and grind glass objects, I often find myself seeing the natural world as glass and through glass, and I am brought ever closer to an understanding of my own aesthetic responses. In my recent work, I have often used found objects, mainly of these naturally polished or uniquely shaped stones. I often join such natural objects, usually collected locally from streams and abandoned quarries, and national parks with cast and cold-worked glass pieces that are themselves shaped and polished in such a way as to aesthetically compliment or echo those naturally-occurring forms; in hopes not to compete with, but to synchronize with the natural aesthetic as an ode to something larger.

For me, nature is a neo-religious force that provides inspiration and creates awe and wonder. The natural world is my cathedral and, I believe, calls all of us to our higher selves. Moreover, nature provides many truths, both historical and eternal. It is also important to me that I continue to find ways to express the natural world with glass.