Connecting, 2023

My work engages human nature’s desire to connect. Through making, I explore how objects act as intermediaries between people. This series reflects on the delicate balance and navigation that happens when we intertwine our lives with others.

I lean into the foam bosom and am reminded of support from my family. I feel the soft textures and smell the fading residues of loved ones. My family and identity are embodied in this work that invites the audience to rest for a moment. Turning inward, I explore invisible threads I still feel tethering me to the people I have lost. I frame fabrics that once belonged to my grandmother. Their physical evidence and presence are witness to the connections I still have to her and am fearful of losing.

Inspired by relationships between objects, things, and people, I painted a series of watercolor drawings, exploring these ties. The painted shapes suggest function, yet flow ambiguously instead of linking mechanically. After translating these into metal, the ink drawings are manifested into jewelry and sculpture. The blur between 2 and 3 dimensionality, analogue and digital making, meandering between functional and seemingly functionless objects, supports the interconnectivity I explore.