"Synthetic Natural." Photo courtesy of artist.
Windgate-Lamar Fellowship
2017
Artist Statement: I believe that humans are a natural element, coexisting with the land around us, despite our frequent desire to define nature and man as two separate entities. Nature influences us, just as we influence nature in this ever-evolving cycle which makes us one. The jump in human population has exponentially increased our impact on the land. Advancements in technology have increased resource use, as well as our huge imprint, which can now be visually seen and felt with climate change. Focusing on the role that humankind plays within nature, my work strives to discuss how man’s technological advancements are progressing Earth’s ever-evolving structure. Process is imperative to my work. Contrasting the application of technologies such as 3D scanning and laser cutting with my work’s content of nature, I aim to provide insight on the relationship between humankind’s creations and the planet. I directly alter and replicate natural objects through processes that only man is capable of, mimicking natural processes that may have taken millions of years. Craft processes are used as a vehicle for my concept. The process of recreating forms such as rocks with cardboard, cast paper, and etched glass is a way of demonstrating the fragility of nature. Through this practice, my work is metaphorically commenting on how this planet, which may be thought of as natural, is constantly becoming more and more altered with the activities of humankind.