In recent years, I have started making sculptures that feature parts from toys as well as numerous bits and bolts from a wide variety of plastic things (staplers, ping pong balls and windshield wipers to name a few) which are organized into shoeboxes sorted by color. The idea for each of my works comes from an intuitive process of physically sorting through pieces and grabbing ones that I recognize could be used as a specific part or component in the final sculpture.
While browsing through Goodwill, garage sales, and the local dollar store, I can find potential candidates for pieces that most often are reasonably priced, allowing me to invest in the materials even if they are not used right away or do not work out in the end. Every so often, I will splurge on a few model kits to raid for parts (a practice called Kitbashing). Toys seem to be one thing that I find myself gravitating towards when making my art; perhaps I am drawn to them because of the nostalgia playing with them in my childhood.
Some of the inspirations for my work come from history, pop culture, and science fiction. Tabletop crafting for role-playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons and Warhammer 40K is s a major contributor to this body of work. I enjoy watching Youtubers build terrain as an accessory for their tabletop games, which add a sense of immersion for their players. In my sculptures, terrain adds a touch of time and place.
Working with found object/assemblage materials has always been a staple of my artwork. My latest artistic practices represent my ongoing fascination with kitbashing and model making with an emphasis on science fiction. The resulting works are what I can only describe as plastic machine amalgams. I am highly curious about where these sculptures will take me from here.
I'd like to include a personal thank you to all of the fellow makers out there. Take pride that you have made your vision into something real, and remember that it takes courage in itself. You can see my other art on my Facebook page.
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