Artist’s Statement

 

The cultivation and education of the viewing public is where every artist’s interests should initially lie.  Without an engaged audience (receiver) the artist (sender) will have little impact on society.  I intend to involve the viewer on an individual basis by stimulating sensibilities relative to personal histories and experiences.  By incorporating recognizable objects into the work, the viewer’s entry is less restrictive and intimidating.  This results in a more relaxed and open experience for the viewer.

 

An object’s unknown personal history is intriguing to me.  By (re)presenting these objects in a visual and intellectual context I re-insert them into a new historical cycle.  Their current life as an unwanted relic is left behind and they are able to take on a new life as a conduit between artist and viewer.

 

The simplicity of form of an object as juxtaposed with the complexity of its content is my conceptual point of departure.  By reinventing context and liberating an object from its prior, known utility I open the door for the viewer to confront and reposition the object and its neoteric multiplicity of associations as they wish.  Wit, whimsy, sarcasm, and cynicism all play a recurring role in my work, providing a somewhat universal entry that is then examined and defined by the individual.

 

I work to make things both simple and complex.  The form may be simple, but the underlying content is not.  Bringing dissimilar materials to a visually and intellectually engaging conclusion is a primary concern.  I aim to make common objects uncommon.  In doing so, the work demands a longer, more discerning look than may have been bestowed in its former context.  My ultimate pleasure comes from (re)awakening a certain latent awareness in the viewer, leaving them affected in some way.