The layers of paper and found objects in my sculptures explore those expected and unexpected life experiences which give texture to our personalities, that shape our minds and bodies. As the written content, color and images of the papers I collect superficially describe each character I create, then also the inner, twisted skeleton of paper becomes the structure of a person’s physical and emotional memory. I enjoy the journey I take while applying visible patterns to the secret, unseen symbols used for structure and bulk to give my characters their own private moments and secret thoughts. Sometimes these secrets are my private jokes and sometimes they are more serious in nature.

Layer upon layer of words and images are built up then cut, scraped, burned, sanded and carved into the finished character. I have developed a vocabulary of materials that I often go back to:  packing paper (surround, cushion, protect, fill space), clean white printing paper (purity, innocence, beginnings, naiveté), phone book pages (lists of names: repetition, similarity), architectural drawings (designing, defining, intention), shredded financial statements and stock reports (wealth without work), colorful charts and graphs, as well as printed advertisements (commerce, business, wealth), and soft tissue papers (transparency, truth). Sometimes there is a more literal interpretation of the printed content, such as articles on politics, historical records, and ephemera.

While each of my pieces is sealed with beeswax to protect the integrity of the work, the conscious intent of recycling the torn paper and natural materials suggests the possibility that each work could easily melt back into the earth were it to be left to age outdoors.