Aluminum, Walnut, custom LED light
I have selected to work with a material, aluminum flashing, which can easily shift between dimensions and be manipulated by direct contact with my body, allowing for the form to emerge through physical engagement. The material acts as metaphor, interrupting what is right in front of us, while simultaneously illuminating our relationship to the surrounding environment. The draped and folding undulations call into question the positioning of a perspective, that which is visible to us. It does not reveal itself fully but it is fully present. It defines a space but its lightness speaks to the fact that nothing is fixed. And while the material is soft and malleable, it also acts as a shell-like structure, embodying the vulnerability of a protective yet fragile membrane.
The purpose is to reposition the duality of light and dark, what is present and what is no longer here, and how they exist in harmony, side by side. The form of the aluminum references the folds and softness of fabric while the patina is achieved through a water-based soaking process, creating a visual language historically associated with textile craft. I am interested in using traditional woodworking techniques as a way to merge this landscape of dualities, that of impermanence and permanence, and as commentary on how these constructs have been tied to traditionally female- versus male-dominated craft practices. The result is an intimate and personal view into the experience of processing grief, the nuanced role women have played in design history, and how we might honor and preserve undervalued legacies.
Belgian Linen, Wood frame with webbing
32.5” (H) x 17.5” (W) x 17.5” (D)
Aluminum, Birch Plywood and Assorted Hardware Frame
Varying dimensions
The three Threshold Screens stand as a tribute to three women in my life who have held me up, guided me and inspired me. The presence of these women is represented in the verticality of each screen, which stand at their specific height. The object is meant to subvert the idea of the privacy screen, traditionally used to conceal the nude body behind it. My piece is meant to do the opposite, it is showcasing and celebrating femininity and demands the viewer's eye through its interruption of the space it is positioned within. It is also meant to reflect back onto the viewer their own expression of femininity, vulnerability and fertility.
Threshold draws inspiration from Louise Nevelson’s “Mrs. N’s Palace”, an environment which both absorbs and emanates. It is this delicate dichotomy of truth and illusion, the seen and unseen, the apparent and actual truths, that I am interested in. The privacy screen is at once a concealer of space and our physical selves, interrupting what is right in front of us, while simultaneously illuminating our relationship to the surrounding environment. The draped and folding undulations call into question the positioning of a perspective, what is visible to us. It does not reveal itself fully but it is fully present. It defines a space but its lightness speaks to the fact that nothing is fixed. And while the material is soft and malleable, it also acts as a shell-like structure, embodying the vulnerability of a protective yet fragile membrane. It represents the vulnerability of the last two years as I watched my mother grow weaker. It is our thin armor of resilience.
The adornment is made possible by the material’s inherent softness. It provides a built-in strength while also acting as an expression of a personal and intimate language.
'Threshold' is an act of re-tethering myself during a time I feel so lost. It traces many paths toward reconnection across personal and artistic inheritances. I chose to focus on symbols from my own lineage, drawing on the imagery found in Celtic metalwork, in order to anchor myself within the context of my ancestors. The imagery traditionally existed on various forms of armor and was meant to signify endless protection, adding to the layers of meaning in the piece.
Aluminum, frosted acrylic tube, custom LED light
The form of the piece stands as a personage and a reference to the cosmos, anchored in both what is here and not here. The light was developed after seeing Louise Bourgeois’ ‘Personages’ sculptures, which stood as tribute and a way of processing the absence of specific individuals in her life. The code found in this piece is the number five, seen in the number of lanterns and the number of sides of each lantern. Five represents transformation, shift, healing and freedom. It also represents the five senses. Finally, it is the month of my birth and the month of my mother’s death.
“Once I was beset by anxiety. I couldn’t tell right from left or orient myself. I could have cried out with terror at being lost. But I pushed the fear away - by studying the sky, determining where the moon would come out, where the sun would appear in the morning. I saw myself in relationship to the stars. I began weeping, and I knew that I was all right.”
-Louise Bourgeois
Sycamore, Chrome Plated Carbon Steel
27 1⁄2” (H) x 15 1⁄4” (W) x 9 1⁄2” (D)
Pirouette is an exploration of tribute. It is meant to reposition the narrative of Ray Eames after realizing, throughout my research, that the importance of her role as designer had been placed in the shadows. Ray’s work in abstract expressionism and her explorations in dance, studying under Martha Graham, of how the body moves within and interacts with space, were of particular interest to me and the catalyst for deciding to design a kinetic sculpture. The shifting positions of the trays and the resulting relationship of positive and negative form reflects the movement of the body as it travels through space, while the soft and curving lines speak of the female figure.
The Sycamore used for the piece comes from the De Pree House, which the Eameses designed for Max De Pree, then-president of Herman Miller. The form was then abstracted from a topographical map of the property, a commemorative imprint honoring the historic site where the material came from. The repositioning of the trays, the movement of the layers through space, and intention of allowing the piece to be edited in scale to fit the needs of the individual are all testaments to Ray’s iconic work.
Sycamore, Aluminum, Custom LED Light
Laminated Ash, Oak, Paracord
31” W x 18” D x 52” H
Swing High is interchangeably a hanging chair and a sculptural shrine. The two sweeping arches meet at the highest point and signify unity and connectedness. I was interested in using the piece as an opportunity to incorporate unexpected and organic shapes within traditional fine woodworking practices.
Aluminum, Mirrored Acrylic
2” (H) x 9.5” (W) x 9.5” (D)
This tribute plate is meant to allow for small moments of reflection and honoring by physically holding sacred and special objects. It looks at the concept of holding and being held from a different scale and function.
Maple
Welded Steel Rod
46” (W) x 35” (D) x 33” (H)
This form is a study of tension, unity, and intersection. It is meant to signify the relationship of the body as it moves through space.
Ebonized Oak, Bleached Ash Veneer, Ash
34” (W) x 10 1⁄2” (D) x 19” (H)
This piece is a study of traditional woodworking techniques, a way for me to explore my personal dialog within the craft. The door and drawer pulls are created by the absence of material, resulting in a subtle visual softness within the angular form and planar surface.
The mitered carcass includes joinery such as the tapered sliding dovetails, rabbets, and blind mortise and tenons. The door and drawer fronts were veneered in order to control the grain pattern. The back of the credenza was fabricated using a frame and panel technique, which simultaneously added dimension and lightened the weight of the piece. The three drawers were made by hand using traditional dovetail and sliding dovetail joinery. I made the veneer myself in order to carefully consider the layout of the grain pattern and how the eye would travel across the piece.
Ash
Ash, Poplar, Stocking, Quinoa, Jute Twine
Maple, Ash
There are a few overarching themes within my explorations of form and materiality, which I refer to as touch points: intimacy, sensuality, harmony, transformation and moments of connection. This concept of touch points is intrinsically tied to the idea of home and identity for me, ever more so as I navigate through a time of grieving and aloneness. I have continued to explore this idea as it develops through the properties of the material, discovering a unique balance of unity, negative space and intersection. I am intimately exploring until I arrive at the place I have been looking for. It is then that I have found my way home.
Birch Plywood
Headboard: 96” W x 1” D x 48” H
Side Tables: 11 ½” W x 10” D x 13 ½” H
Bedframe: 60” W x 80” D x 10” H
