Sculptural Forms
My first purely sculpture pieces were wall-mounted. Later, I worked with freestanding designs. These earliest pieces were built on frameworks: the “skyscraper dream” series.
My designs evolved to take on a more naturalistic form, morphing into freer and more open designs. These prairie abstractions reflect the movement of prairie plants and grasses. Quite often I start with an interestingly shaped piece of wood, sometimes too twisted or knotted to use any other way.
I also have built a lot of purely geometric pieces. Among these are the geometric tango series comprised of only two elements. These are an exercise in pure form and the negative space between the elements comprising them. These designs are also driven by the materials used, whether unique pieces of wood or composite materials made to look like stone.
The wall pieces have moved in a couple of directions. The first pieces, while mounted on panels, were designed as open pieces that seemed to move beyond their edges. I later eliminated the panels altogether, utilizing only the curved intersecting lines themselves. These pieces seem to extend beyond their dimensions, which lets a smaller piece fill a larger area.
I have also returned to using panels for some pieces, especially when there is a call for filling a designated space. They also have a greater sense of weight and presence. I have also done variations on the “prairie” freestanding pieces, which are mounted on frames with translucent backs. The finished pieces look almost like paintings, with the third dimensional sense created by actual physical depth.