“Slab Happy”

As it oozed through my fingers and enveloped me in its earthy aroma, I knew the search was over. Clay seduced me on the spot and has been my vehicle for expression ever since.

My work is best described as intentionally confrontational, leaning towards the grotesque, with a decidedly scatological twist. I count Pop surrealism, science fiction media, Indigenous art, pinup girls, Gary Larson, Elvira, Beetlejuice, and Rodin as influences. It is humanistic and grounded in the figurative narrative- Classical Western Art as seen through the lens of Bay Area Funk. Studying with the faculty at Santa Clara University has allowed unique insight into the philosophies and practices of the pantheon of West Coast ceramists. I see myself as inheriting their aesthetic which can be seen in the techniques, scale, and subject matter of my work.

Taking on the role of the social critic is intentional- I want to capture an individual’s essence. The large busts-gigantes- and masks that characterize my work are larger than life both figuratively and literally. By over emphasizing their physical attributes, a layered narrative about social and gender role is created. Working with female figures, I am reminded of Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” In this story, the teenage protagonist does not expect the loss of sexual innocence, yet courts it. To reference this, I draw upon the image of the wholesome milkmaid to represent this youthful naiveté. Upon closer inspection, the virginal milkmaid’s flaws rise to the surface- bucked teeth, pockmarks, large ears, and protruding nose. She is being immortalized, and so her representation should be beautiful, yet she is not flawless and because of this, her beauty is obtainable and less threatening.

Currently, I have shifted from sculpting large “gigantes” figures to exploring masks. The shamanistic properties of masks allows for me to embrace the artist’s role as social critic and trickster figure. The mask while disguising identity, provides a release for the individual’s hidden emotions. As in the gigantes, the notion of first impressions and backward glances is integral- a second glance is needed to see the imperfections. The open mouths with aggressively jutting tongues are begging for the viewer to initiate communication. These attributes lend themselves to a visual metaphor of putting one’s “best face forward” thereby disguising those deeper, unadulterated emotions that inevitably bubble to the surface.  Animal imagery in the mask series refers to the animal-like characteristics of people and vice versa. As a way to further drive the narrative of the masks, I have started to incorporate found objects- most of these objects are heirlooms and come with a distinct southern, military, and citrus growing past. Intertwining the pre-existing narrative with that of the mask has provided an engaging challenge.

Many of my sculptures have an overtly sexual narrative as commentary on gender roles and my role as an artist making such provocative work. Is it an objectification of women? Why is it uncomfortable to look at large, naked breasts? Why should a female sculptor be making or not making this work? Am I and my work over sexualized as a rebellion against 2nd wave feminism’s sexual agenda? These are questions that I continue to explore.