M A P S Collection
I remember the first time I picked up the the naturally woven fibers of palm tree bark, in awe of the geometry and intelligence of the natural world. I have always been seduced by the lifecycle of plants. As a child, my favorite sensory experiences were from the transformation and decomposition of deciduous plants of the Colorado autumn. Currently, my obsession is the birth-to-death transformation of the jungle in lower Puna, Hawai’i.
I felt compelled start collecting remarkable biological material/green waste on my morning jogs to the beach. In early 2022, I experienced a breakthrough in my art practice, where I began physically utilizing this found media. I allowed the shape and texture to speak, to lead me. I released control, perfection and analytical thought….I simply felt and observed the process as I created. I was liberated. These pieces hold the moment, the memory, of that experience.
Anatomy of Discovery (2022) |Sold|
Palm tree husk - latex paint - cheese cloth on canvas, 48 X 30 in
First, Second & Third Sojourn (2022)
Triptych, Palm tree husk - latex paint - cheese cloth on canvas, 60 x 24 in each
Dead Reckoning I (2022)
Palm tree husk - latex paint - palm tree bark - cheese cloth on canvas, 44 x 20 in
Dead Reckoning II (2022)
Palm tree husk - latex paint - cheese cloth on canvas, 20 x 44 in
Mauna Loa (2022)
Palm tree husk -molding paste - acrylic paint - ink on canvas, 48 x 36 in
Mauna Loa, a sacred active volcano on the Island of Hawai’i, erupted on Lā Kūʻokoʻa (Hawaiian Independence Day), November 28th, 2022. The soft violet in this piece was inspired by the morning sun casting its light on the Mauna as seen from Chain of Crater’s Road in Volcanoes National park. And, the other portion of this color palette is influenced by the dark rainbow iridescence of crystalized minerals of lava rock. The palm tree husk material creates textures resembling a type of basaltic lava that forms in ropey or smooth undulating masses called pahoehoe. The thin hairlike fibers of the husk represent the strands of volcanic glass formed in vigorous lava fountains, known as Pele's Hair.
Down Where It's Wetter (2022)
Palm tree husk - cheese cloth - latex paint on canvas, 30 x 24 in