Growing up in rural Ontario and spending much of my youth in the bush country of the Haliburton Highlands naturally informed the development of my process. This process begins with seeking out and collecting forest debris (branches, roots, and sections of lifeless trees), which I transform, from dead-wood into artifacts. Long walks in the forests are a means by which I gather both my thoughts and my materials for art making. Informed by the nature of each piece I employ a variety of media both elemental (bones, papier-mâché, and minerals) and synthetic (acrylic paint, resins and glitter) to generate metamorphosis.

Often, found pieces are used in conjunction with one another, to form amalgam structures that defy or modify nature, shifting the piece into the realm of primitive construct artifact. This alchemical approach produces objects that appear transposed from the virtual realms of fantasy genre books and games into the real world. While some of the objects remain light and even playful, others hint at the darker and possibly disturbing nature of the investment that people (especially young males) make in these fictional objects and the worlds they inhabit however far removed physically.

During my recent travels to Colombia and Ecuador I was exposed to both traditional and contemporary visual culture, and also had the opportunity to work closely with local artists. These experiences have contributed to the development of my palette apparent in my respectful permutation of carnivalesque colours and textures with more muted pigments of the earth.

While I continue to enjoy and be influenced by the natural landscape, much of my life is spent in urban surroundings. These opposing influences animate a tension in my work. This tension may explain the presence of kitsch in these unnaturally natural objects. While the element of kitsch implicit in the use of hyper-colour and shine is not the primary concern of the work, it encourages the viewer to question their initial perception and judgment.

Through the incorporation of crystals and mass amounts of paint I create a meeting ground for contemporary virtual art objects, which taps into narratives of energy and transformation. While some of the larger works are presented as sculptural installations, the smaller works foster the desire to hold and interact with them, making them objects of possible utility or performance. The works therefore have the potential to enter the performative realm as they reference the known (but absent) body and the unknown or undiscovered spheres.

The notion of adornment and weaponry is an area I would like to continue exploring, combining these very painterly\sculptural works with performance. I am intrigued by the relationship between two seemingly opposing worlds: the past, or passing, world of the primitive warrior, and the future world(s) of energy and science. My deep relationship with nature and openness to the mythic are at the root of this exploration.