Contemporary Sculptor
never in lieu of flowers
ABOUT THIS SERIES
The sculptures in Never in Lieu of Flowers are constructed out of plaster, natural materials, and found objects (including the prosthetic molds of amputations). They are a convergence of my background in flowers and my work with my father in his prosthetics lab.
In the studio, I formulate mixes with hydro cal or plaster and liquid polymers to coat or cast objects. My use of the color white is intentional. It allows me to simplify the message. Like a single note held in a minor key, it deepens the connection to the meaning of the work. Once dried, I work intuitively, selecting from my inventory of materials, paying attention to shapes and relations, conscious of how the cast of light affects the pieces.
Never in Lieu of Flowers is concerned with mortality, time, and potential, both lived and lost. The sculptures embrace the magnitude of the moment and reflect an awareness of our limited time on earth. Certain pieces remind me of headstones or monuments. They say, “This moment is important. Pay attention.” Other times they invoke a sense of longing for the past. Like memories, they haunt me.
The flowers, captured at their peak, grieve their own demise. They show us how much energy it takes to reach our potential, and how quickly we fade. As still lives, they evoke ghosts, statues. You cannot talk about life, they say, without talking about death. Where are you on the continuum? How do you measure?