THESIS COLLECTION

THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF AN IRIS

Thesis 2021



I am interested in the tension created by visible structure, expressed via a manufactured balance between organic and man-made inspirations. My work is based on elements from nature, visually deconstructed and reconstructed as a means of abstraction. Connections are made with reference to industrial fabrication; screws, bolts and balled wire rivets serve as a way to attach disparate materials and ideas. I try to reference both past and future with a careful balance of traditional craftsmanship and new materials and technology. Hand-carved ebony and tagua nut, photo-etched titanium, lost-wax cast gold, and powder coated aluminum make up some of the components of this collection. There is vibrant color incorporated into nearly every piece. Butterflies, vines, wasps and flowers break apart and take on a constructivist edge, and the resulting work is both lush and tectonic.