I believe there is beauty in simplicity. Ironically, I love decoration and embellishment. Perhaps it is the dissonance between these two ideas that brings context and meaning to my work. There is something that I find very satisfying in the modern sculpture of the mid 20th Century. Many of these works create a pleasing arrangement of abstract shapes that draw the eye around and through the piece. Conversely, I find myself drawn to the natural decorative elements of Art Nouveau, the Chinese vase painting of the Ming and Song Dynasties, and even mass-produced figurines that may have found their origins in the late Baroque or Rococo period to name a few. Added ornamentation such as decals, luster, found objects and gold leaf, when added to my ceramic forms, tend to give me a sense of completion in my work.
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