ARTIST STATEMENT

I am interested in the transformation of the meaning of individual objects and ideas when placed within a collected whole. In “my name project,” various souvenirs that have a connection to each other and myself through my first and middle names create a “sel–portrait” comprised of an accumulation of found artifacts. I chose to make the Dreamcards from stories found in the Science Times issues from the year 2000 to memorialize the continuation of reading the Science Times after my mother's death in the beginning of the year, as she was an avid reader of the Science Times. I incorporated ideas from dream books, which connect dream imagery with numerology. I have also likened the Dreamcards to trading cards, which also lend themselves to collection and commemoration.  

I have started making the glowing gemstones also because of my fascination with collecting, as they are a common item to collect in quest-based video games to gain power or regain lost health. I would like to create several large gems and to display them in real–world realms, much in the way that they are strewn about in a video game playing field. I would like to use the program studio space to explore the creation of these items with other materials, including the use of light and plastics. My hope is that through this program, I will be able to further the design of these concepts through the use of studio space, as well as discussion within a community of artists.