Artist Statement

For the past few years I have explored the uses of the lathe in the process of creating masks and sculptured pieces. These forms are achieved through multi-axis turning, carving, and a careful alignment of the grain. As an artist, I continuously strive to see how the lathe will influence the form of the piece, by seeing the circle of movement not as one finite concept, but as an endless stream of possibilities. In addition, I want to present the viewer with new ways to see the beauty of wood. I attempt to display this beauty by aligning the grain and the figure of the wood in a universally familiar form. My work focuses on this balance between the form of the piece and structure of the wood, and I persistently search for new ways to achieve this relationship.