Artist Statement:

Artist Bio

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I'm a sculptor based in Redding working primarily with metal and reclaimed organic materials. For many years my practice has centered on large-scale commissioned work throughout the Redding area, including custom gates, architectural installations, and freestanding sculptures for public spaces and private businesses. My work is rooted in fabrication, physical process, and a longstanding fascination with the expressive possibilities of steel and forged metal.

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After serving as a surgical technician during the Vietnam War, I turned to writing as a way of processing my experiences, studying creative writing at Iowa State University and later at The University of New Mexico. I later spent several years in the horse business before attending farrier school in 1980, where I became deeply interested in the malleability and physicalness of metal. While living in Albuquerque, I was introduced to a community of artist blacksmiths and began exploring metal as a sculptural medium. For me there was no single, defining moment. defining moments and formative experiences are both fleeting and ongoing. Fletcher Benton was an important influence early on. His sculptures legitimized the idea of formal, abstract art for me. I’m largely self-educated as an artist and see artistic development as an ongoing process shaped through labor, observation, and material engagement. 

 

My recent work has moved toward more intimate sculptural forms. Combining metal with natural oak these pieces explore ideas of climate change, ecology, archaeology, folklore  and myth.

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