Augured Oil Shale Finds Gold Sculpture

The sculpture I create is a reflection of my inner self, how I encounter the sacred, an attempt to capture the beauty of light playing on a form and to bring dynamic movement to a static form. “Creating” - the act of ‘making something out of an inspired thought’ is an amazing, magical process! For me, it is often contemplative, sometimes joyous and even at times arduous, but ultimately gives both purpose and meaning to my life. ​ We "have come into the world... to be filled with light, and to shine. The Sacred will be reborn within us and among us when we remember, again and again , the light, naming it at the heart of one another and knowing that we carry it for one another." Mary Oliver, Pulitzer Prize winning poet Utilizing two different approaches, I create both figurative sculptures and abstract, direct-worked metal pieces. With most figurative pieces I have a vague concept in mind, which is why I use a clay/wax-modeling compound. This pliable medium allows me to easily make changes as the sculpture resolves itself as I work. The final model is then molded and then cast into a final form such as Hydrocal or bronze. In contrast, the direct-worked metal sculptures are often inspired or influenced by the piece of found metal itself, whether it is the spiral form of a rusted augur bit or the cylindrical form of a discarded water heater (above). Cut and then welded or soldered together, these pieces are joined together to create a new form. Glass, rocks or wood may also be incorporated into the sculpture to both compliment and complete it.