My drawings in this exhibition were inspired by pieces of natural debris that I pick up on my wanderings and carefully carry home to study. The leaves and twigs you see in this work were collected from my garden, walks in my neighborhood or to the bus stop at the end of the day.

I often come home from work with my backpack full of twigs. Sometimes I have an idea beforehand and look for specific material, but more often I randomly discover the debris that will inspire the concept and composition. Bringing prominence to something that otherwise would be discarded is an important aspect of my process. I closely study the structure, form, and shape including every little bump and curve of these items. I look at each piece from different angles and play with lighting to bring out the uniqueness I see. These objects are in a state of decay and like all organic matter they are here for a fleeting moment in time. I capture them when that process has started but they still maintain some color and physical attributes. I imagine objects in different scales than those found in their natural state as I am intrigued by how forms and patterns in nature repeat themselves. The veins of a leaf could suggest ridges and gulleys in a landscape, or a dried leaf form could become a mountain range. I work with contrast between the real and the imagined; a Viking shield used for defense becomes an imagined one that seems strong but is structurally fragile as there is nothing physical holding it together. In the shield drawings, each twig has been selected for their specific characteristics and assembled to create a whole. Sometimes individual pieces are all different and sometimes a twig gets repeated many times. While all my drawings maintain a strong connection to the objects that inspired them, they transform into something new and create their own identity and become extraordinary. I hope the viewer will bring their curiosity and own interpretation to what they see in front of them when looking at my work.

Artist Bio