Graphite Drawings
Why did you start making graphite drawings of the ocean? I’ve always been fascinated with the surface of the ocean, and was planning a series of paintings to explore it. However the ocean’s surface is a very complex and difficult subject to capture, so I thought that I would understand it better if I spent some time drawing it. The first drawing hooked me. I loved the simplicity of the pencil combined with the complexity of the subject matter. The process is very meditative and I love getting lost in it.
Will you ever make a series of paintings of the ocean’s surface? Yes, I’m working on a series right now. They are also the basis of my plastic ocean sculptures.
Places For Reflection Oil Paintings
Why do you use metal leaf in your paintings? The ocean has always been a sacred place for me—a place I can think, reflect, breathe, and find peace and insight. Gold leaf has long been a symbol of the sacred, and is also a reflective surface. Using it underneath the paint allows me to allude to these reflective and spiritual qualities I find in nature, and contemplate what is really underneath it all.
Plastic Oceans Artwork
Why did you start working with plastic? My art has always been focused on the ocean. It is impossible these days to consider the ocean and not think about the plastic pollution problem. Personally I feel heartbroken every time I see a story about the devastation plastic is wreaking on our oceans. Plastic is found in every part of the ocean and it doesn’t go away. It breaks down into micro-plastics, which float, attract toxins, and are eaten by creatures great and small. Seabirds and marine mammals are dying with stomachs filled with plastic trash. The micro-plastics and their associated toxins are ingested by fish, and enter our human food supply. I wanted to do something to help solve this plastic crisis, and thought about ways that I could address it with my art. My intention is to create artworks that increase mindfulness about our plastic use, and inspire people to look at the challenge in a creative way.
Made To Last Series
Why is trash gold leafed? Surprisingly, plastic trash and gold have some things in common. Both are shiny, malleable, durable and can last for centuries. Gold we value, yet plastic we throw away after seconds of use. It’s absurd that we discard all of this amazing material so mindlessly, and it has become a huge problem for our oceans and wildlife. Gold leafing this plastic waste highlights this absurdity in our modern life. Hopefully viewers of the art will never see a plastic bottle the same way again.