Figure of Josh
17”x23”
2013
Conté and White Pastel
Black and White study of human form and space.
Conch Shell
19”x14”
2013
Conté and white pastel
Black and White study of form. Exploring the texture, light, and shadows of the shell
Pomegranate and Rock
21”x16”
2013
Conté and white pastel
Black and white study of form and exploring the texture of the pomegranate and the rock as well as composition and space.
Figure of Sera
22”x17”
2014
Conté and Pastel Chalk
Study of landscape and human form, and exploring light and composition.
Anti-Social Network
17”x22”
2014
Charcoal and Pastel Pencil
The purpose of social media and technology is to connect us to each other. However, technology has taken a lot of time away from face-to-face interaction. In this piece the two back-to-back figures are absorbed in their own world of wire; unaware of their surroundings and completely isolated from outside influences. This exemplifies the central idea that technology, instead of connecting people on a more personal level actually renders people more disconnected.
Still Life/Sculpture: "Anti-Social Network"
2014
Clay, Hardware Wire, Shears
10"L x 12"W x 11"H
I used foam core to build the box frame. The shears were suspended by poking thin wire through the foam core and tying the wire around the handles. This technique was also used to hold up the word "connect". The orbs and the word were made from wire that I picked up at a local hardware store. At first it was difficult to manipulate the wire. Unlike amature wire, the hardware wire was less pliable. The figures inside the orbs were made from clay and inserted through the wire slits. I then stuck dowels into the bottoms of the clay figures to give the illusion of suspension. The laptop and the ipad the figures are holding were made from balsa wood.
Figure of Chloe
18”x24”
2014
Conté and Pastel Chalk
This piece was inspired by teenage substance abuse and the peer pressure almost everyone encounters once in their lifetime. Here the young model is seen under the influence of these substances and positioned provocatively in order to enhance the viewers experience and set a certain mood.
Figure of Grace
17”x23”
2014
Conté and Pastel Chalk
A study of human form and exploring the use of pastel.
Ebola Hysteria
20"x17"
2014-2015
Pastel and Conte
I was inspired to do this idea at the height of the Ebola epidemic. I felt that the media and journalists were exacerbating the disease causing widespread fear and distrust in our countries medical care. To show this fear the media is sparking, I decided to create an image where the ebola virus is trying to invade an individual wearing a hazmat suit made of newspaper headlines
Ebola Hysteria Still/Life/Sculpture
13"W x 13"L x 13"H
2015
Clay, Newspaper, Cable wire, Acrylic Paint
For this still life I first made the figure out of clay. I then painted the figure and wrapped headlines that I found from newspapers such as the New York Times, and local papers to make a hazmat suit. I then took a bottle cap and cable wires to make a breathing mask. The ebola virus is made from clay. I added chocolate sprinkles to add texture and bumps, then painted the virus. I used tracing paper behind the box and lit it from behind to give the impression of a microscope image.
Sculpture/Still Life: "Daddy's Little Smoker"
Clay, Wooden Dowels, Armature Wire, Acrylic Paint
10.5" in diameter
2015
I made this still life with clay. In order to sculpt the figure, I had my baby cousin model for me in a position that best looked like she was playing in a sandbox. I had her sit in a cardboard box and filled with newspaper to resemble an ash tray. I used the photos I took of her to sculpt my figure. I then ordered an ashtray online and used it as reference to make a bigger ashtray out of clay. The cigarettes were made from wooden dowels and clay in order to create the illusion of the cigarettes being burned and crushed. The bucket and the shovel were made with a combination of clay and wire. I photographed the sculpture with a pack of cigarettes to show scale. This piece is one that is personal to me. My father is a smoker. I wanted to create a piece based off my childhood memories of him smoking around me.
Still life/Sculpture: "The Coin Slut"
13"W x 8"L x 20"H
2014
Clay, Dowels, Chain, Doll, Lace, Wire
For this still life the box frame is made from wooden boards. The clay hands were then suspended from the top of the box by dowels and supported by wire. The figure of the woman was created by taking a plastic "Bratz" doll and attaching the face to an Ikea wooden artist's mannequin. I then painted the figure and face to make it look like the girl's makeup was running from crying. The girl's breasts and coin slot is also made of clay. Her hands and arms are suspended by chains. The clothes and stockings are made from a lace/mesh fabric. The crowd of men were made with clay and painted with acrylic paint. The coins were added in later.
The Coin-Slut
14”x22”
2014
Conté and White Pastel
In this piece I wanted to highlight the often overlooked subject of modern slavery, specifically, sex trafficking of women. Sex trafficking is a form of modern slavery that exists throughout the United States and globally. I was inspired to do this piece after reading Aldous Huxley’s “A Brave New World.” The coin slot represents the demands of the sex trafficking industry and how young girls and women are forced to sell their bodies. The chains represent manipulation and imprisonment they also face.
Gun
17”x21”
2013
Conté and White Pastel
After the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting there has been an increase in school shootings seen all across the country. Even at my own high school school, gun and shooting threats have been placed. Of course the police department took the necessary precautions to ensure maximum safety at our school, but I was still shaken by the idea that a school shooting could have happened right in my own hometown. This fear had inspired me to create this still-life drawing.
Abuse (RISD Home Test: Inside Space)
16"x20"
2015
Charcoal Pencil
After the Ray Rice incident with his wife, I was inspired to create a drawing that delt with abusive relationships.
