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.