Philosophy of Research

The nature of objects built more with our hands than with industrial processes interest me. There is a certain look to things built one at a time to solve logistical problems that existed before mass production changed our relationship to the world in which we live. The craftspeople who made their own tools or the farmer that made or repaired the equipment needed to produce a crop and make a living, provide examples of the practical application of function to define form.
I find these handmade forms interesting and they speak about a psychological place where people could be more proactive about solving the problems that existed in their environment. But I am not longing for the past. I used my computer to write this document and I create sculpture using digital technologies combined with traditional methodologies. For me the computer, its software and many of its mechanical peripherals are tools that allow me to explore a particular idea with more depth and possibilities. They are no different than a hammer or a handsaw. However, in our integration of technologies that allow us to do things better, faster or of greater complexity, we may be at the same time losing a portion of ourselves. I want to fortify my studio practice with technology but not replace it totally.
Ultimately, I want to use the practical forms and ideas from the rural vernacular to investigate our perception of the world around us and our relationship to it. I want to cause the viewer to pause and contemplate their own connection with the contemporary world.