Artist Statement

            My work comes from an inherent necessity to make. I find my inspiration in craftsmanship, history, and the found. This became apparent during my time in Florence, Italy, a city known for its craftsmen. Wandering the narrow streets I would pass shoemakers, blacksmiths, papermakers, stone inlayers, and jewelers. I became aware of how much of the developed world has lost touch with the handmade. Every weekend I would find myself lost in the crowds of local antique markets, searching for the right object for inspiration. Something old, but recognizable, something associated with a "lost" craft. This is where my work with wooden shoe forms comes from. I have expanded into using other found wooden objects to work off of, mainly tree branches. The variety of shapes and textures offer a great canvas to work with. I embrace the natural and man made imperfections in the objects I use, it is a specific beauty not easily replicated and one I often choose to accentuate. I use these materials as a starting point, some have a statement, and others serve merely as intriguing decorative objects. In the end my art is about craft, from the past, present, and future.