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My work is a combination of sculpture and photography; recycling materials and objects, transforming them within a selected environment, and then documenting the processes of interaction between myself, others, and places of fascination, and synthesizing the two mediums to create sculpture has been an ongoing method for much of my career. I also have a great interest in architecture; the physical stimulus of a city provides me with a sense of responsibility and motivation to become an active participant in its environment, while at the same time enabling me to take a more anthropological approach towards researching building materials and settings for public art. This combination has given me the opportunity to reflect on important historical ideas in a succinct, deliberative and challenging way, which resonates in my work as a sculptor. One of my key motivations in making art is learning from people and their communities. I receive great inspiration by the numerous elements that make up and support the character of a region, particularly those in Pittsburgh, where my interest in the urban landscape has been nurtured for over eighteen years. I have developed a strong appreciation for this region's industrial heritage and linked it to my work as an artist throughout my carrier. With the changing landscape of this former steel city, my interests too have undergone some changes and growth, and as Pittsburgh develops and strengthens its cultural identity, my work as an artist is advancing to a new stage that encompasses broader ideas and goals. |
| By building with recycled materials within selected environments, the resulting work reflects a historical and social significance, as well as challenges the boundaries of more traditional sculpture. Much of my work ranges from large mixed media installations constructed on-site, in industrial settings, to formal public sculpture commissions. As a sculptor, experiencing, acknowledging and responding to my surroundings has been an integral part of my work. Likewise, the satisfaction I receive from of the constant play and interaction with people, within the frame of my artwork, has made my commitment of being a public artist all the more substantial. I am also committed to working in collaborative ventures. Since 1993, I have been a founding member of the Industrial Arts Co-op, where I have led group activities that include large-scale industrial site-works, public sculpture exhibitions, film and video productions. Most recently, the I.A.C. created and exhibited 'Walking Stick Rocket' -a large-scale public sculpture constructed from salvaged wooden shapes once used as prototypes for casting heavy machine parts that are attached together with bolts and metal fittings. |
| Perhaps one of the most exciting, recent collaborations that I have been involved with is with the Pittsburgh Children's Museum. Through a partnership with the Pittsburgh Children's Museum, I received the 2002 Heinz Creative Heights Award. This is a particularly inspiring collaboration in that much of the whimsy, imaginativeness and energy of my pieces, lie within the child-like fantasies, and memories that all of us share. |
| Drawing on historical circus and carnivalesque Americana, and my affection for visionary and folk art, I am creating a series of recognizable yet wholly re-imaged creatures for the Pittsburgh Children's Museum called the 'Fantastic Inflatable Menagerie'. Two of these creatures from the series are part of the 2003 Pittsburgh Center for the Arts (PCA) Bi-Annual show. At once the shapes are intelligible to both children and adults alike: Giant Pink and Blue Flamingos-yard ornaments found on any suburban neighborhood lawn- but a second look forces the observer to gaze beyond their perceptions, expectations and conventions, and to re-examine the piece in a fresh way. The pieces bespeak to the simplicity and nostalgia of a lost time while honoring the fresh pop culture symbols of today. |
| The surfaces of the inflatable sculptures are constructed of recycled billboard vinyl. This collaged-like pop art surface is sewn together forming a 15-foot-tall balloon character. The pieces will be kept inflated by a small, silent fan or blower that will be hidden within the piece itself. |
| I have historically done much of my work in industrial settings and other non-traditional environments. The opportunity to present work in at PCA is an honor, and will allow my work as an artist, and more importantly, my relationships with the community, to foster a new sense of direction in accomplishing my goals. |
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