A child’s untamed imagination can create a new and exciting world out of a single object.
The combination of an uncorrupted point of view, a strong imagination, overflowing
curiosity, and the desire to push boundaries creates a very special mindset particular to
children. The adult world, by contrast, restrains the formerly infinite imagination by
imposing responsibilities and practical concerns. Society puts limits on the way we as
individuals can perceive things, and as an artist I am interested in expanding those confines.
Inspired by the perspective of childhood, I seek a sort of regression to a childlike state of
mind so that I can create and explore a place beyond these boundaries.
In my sculptural clay objects, I often include figures in fantastical situations and imaginary
worlds. Though the facial expressions of the figures evoke the imagery of childhood, the
bodies are adult, suggesting the remnants of the child within the grownup. The coexistence
of innocence and experience within one being has an unsettling effect; viewers are made
uncomfortable as the whimsical gives way to the darkly bizarre.
Bright colored surfaces attract the eye initially, drawing the viewer into the scene in
anticipation of a new experience. However, on looking closer, the viewer faces unpleasant
and unexpected movement, actions, or expressions in the figures; he or she must make
sense of these anomalies within the rules and restrictions imposed by the experience of
adulthood. It is my hope that by combining so many elements of a child’s imagination with
those of the adult world –replete with the darker emotions that characterize it– I will create
a space for each viewer to have a unique and personal introspective experience.