My work

My style

My methodology tends to lean slightly towards a "neo-postmodern approach”, only in the sense that their characteristics contain hints of historical and vernacular style elements. These elements are oftentimes decorative, fantasy and or complex.

I occasionally use oblong figures that are stylized to place emphasis on emotions as to heighten tension, show strength and power, or to display elegance in the piece. In fact, I would say that collectively, my work is simply a celebration of various styles and philosophies morphed into each piece.

Materials

As a professional sculptor, I occasionally combine sculpture and ceramic forms to create beautiful hybrid works of art. I am a firm believer that oftentimes, the idea or concept helps to determine the material best suited for that idea/design. It is for this very reason that I consistently work with various mediums and materials such as paper, wood, clay, bronze and other metals.

In terms of finishes, I sometimes use oil or acrylic paints for Polychromy, stains, marble, bronze, nickel and brass powder overlays as a finish on some of my clay pieces.

Inspiration

As an artist, my inspiration can come from some of the least expected places, from a crack found in the sidewalk where the roots of the tree has pushed through, or to an old water spot on the ceiling of my studio space.

In terms of historical inspiration, I would have to say that classical sculptors from the Italian Renaissance and Harlem Renaissance periods have influenced me greatly.

My processes

Cold Casting

"Cold-Casting" is a term used to describe the process of mixing metal powder with a resin to create castings that give the appearance of solid metal. The metal cold-cast process (also known as "bonded bronze") is faster and much less expensive compared with foundry casting of molten metal (lost wax process.

Modeling

Clay Modeling. The most easily recognized form of sculpting is clay modeling, that is, the creation of a 3-dimensional piece of art typically using some type of clay Plastilina (oil-based clay), self-hardening (non-firing) clay, ceramic/pottery clay, wax or other polymer-based material. It is the act of shaping and molding mailable clay into a desired form. This piece is functional, and inspire by the works of cubist sculptor, Jacques Lipchitz.

Modeling in abstraction

This piece titled: Death of the White Elephant is about the illegal hunting or capturing of the wild elephants for sport and their ivory tusk, an atrocity that still occurs today. While researching, I discovered that elephants grieve much in the way that humans do.

When an elephant in the herd dies, the entire herd mourns its death. In fact, elephants are known to bury their own dead under foliage and often stay with the body, apparently in mourning. In the same manner, they

will also burry the bones of other elephants when they have come upon the remains.

In this piece. I wanted to capture the humanity of this great beast by creating a sarcophagus containing the bones, and attaching an iron bolder to the leg, to symbolize the oppression and continuous suffering of this gentle and majestic animal.