Artist Statement:

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My parents moved halfway across the country, away from their families, with me in tow when I was around the age of two. Because of the physical distance from the rest of my relatives, I’ve always felt that somehow my personal culture, and the connections I’ve made with people have been missing something. I have scant knowledge about my heritage, and few stories involving my family to tell. I crave a deeper dialogue with the community of people around me. I create interactive ceremonial cast glass works. I invite viewers to have visceral conjoint emotional experiences based off my own personal history and memories. These artifacts manifest as boxes. Like memories, boxes have to consciously be opened in order to access what is held within. These vessels serve as  objects of intrigue, inviting the viewer a to participate in a relatable, emotional and tactile way.

 

Objects made in glass can survive thousands of years, with little wearing or change, or can be shattered in a moment, lost forever. Because of these qualities, glass is the perfect material in which to fashion artifacts of my own. I use time intensive methods of mold making, spending days sculpting and forming my wax positives, before casting them in glass. By asking the viewer to interact and add to my works, the pieces evolve beyond themselves and become part of a larger community’s experience.