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Artist Statement
Through the creation of recognizable snapshots of everyday life, my art encourages the viewers to laugh at themselves and the world we live in. I attempt to evoke emotions of both comedy and melancholy, which in turn causes the viewer to introspectively see themselves and others they know mirrored in the faceless characters I sculpt.
My pieces reflect my personality and, as a result, have given me a recognizable style. After spending years on stage as a musician and comedian, it’s interesting to become part of the audience—my place on stage has now been replaced by my sculptures. In turn, there is a stage-presence energy that embodies my work—a quality that attracts the viewer’s eye like they are being entertained rather than just looking at a piece of art.
For figurative work to be successful it must resonate life and breath through movement and energy. Half of this battle is won when I become inspired by the subject matter. When working on an exhibition, I am usually attracted to situations in life that bring complete strangers together. Whether it is people waiting at a bus stop or smokers outside of a bar, often, common conditions supply vital motivation to my work.
I find that the world primarily revolves and evolves around the little things in life—buying a new pair of shoes, going to the beach, waiting in line. In a time where technology is rapidly changing and more and more clouds of fear loom over the human spirit, I find reflecting human emotions through simple topics comforting and engaging.
Likewise, the incorporation of recognizable objects such as a real pair of shoes has become one of the trademarks of my work. This act is an exclamation point that initially draws the viewer in. From there, it is my responsibility and challenge to get their attention away from the prop and allow them to discover the movement and emotion of the piece.
Everyone can use a reminder of simpler times. A pair of dime-store sneakers, a #2 pencil, or even a hula-hoop—these all give the viewer connection to the piece. The emotions that these simple things evoke are the keys to my motivation.
