Guilty Pleasures & Other Social Additions series

My current work explores the Trompe l’Oeil Still Life format, interpreted through the media of ceramic and mixed media sculpture, and incorporates contemporary American social commentary. It examines the effects of mass media and advertising largely building popular culture, and thereby forming social addictions, consuming passions, and perhaps ultimately, social and moral erosion. Concurrent interests in both Funk and Pop art movements as well as fashion, politics and religion have found their way into my work. The sculptural manifestations of these concepts are in the form of candies, cakes and M.R.E. (“meals ready to eat”) juxtaposed with contemporary consumer objects suggesting equations of indulgence and dependencies.

I primarily use the processes of hand building and slip casting clay pieces, combining these elements with other media such as glass, metals, beads, and fibers to heighten the level of realism inherent in the work. Glazes, under glazes, lusters, decals, screen-printing, oils, acrylics, wax and rubber are used to finish surfaces.

We live in a technology based and media driven society which conditions us everyday to consume, to want more, and to long for things which in the end are empty pleasures. This body of work seek pose a question. How much is enough?