Inspiration and Influences
My interest and exposure to metal came at an early age since my father , a millwright / mechanic , had a metal and wood lathe . After work he could usually be found in his basement shop creating objects from metal scraps : jewelry , lamps and ashtrays , to designing specialty machine parts . My father helped me weld together my first metal sculpture and years later I too added a welding course to my experiences . As an art educator this provided me an opportunity to expand the school ’ s curriculum by introducing recycled metal sculptures in the senior art program .
Renewal , encaustic , concrete , reclaimed metal and image transfer on panel , 16 x 16 inches , 2014
In addition to metal , concrete is another material that has long fascinated me . In its raw and unpolished state the textures and nuances are intriguing while polished concrete has a beauty parallel to stone . I have a large bag concrete countertop mix in my studio that eagerly awaits my attention and I hope to soon explore its design potential .