The interest in the human body is universal. The one thing that is both feared and loved is the body. Feared because of what can be done and what will naturally occur and loved because it is the containment of life. My work uses forms of the body to discuss issues of aging, deformities, and maladies that reveal physical insecurities. I use both metal and silicone replicas of body parts. This has been the focus of my work the last three years.

  In my work I often replicate the body itself and use it as a form of ornamentation. Replica casting is of particular interest because it is the best way to get the most accurate and complete connection between the body and the work. The use of a live model creates a direct connection between the person and the work that is being created. I am attracted to the oddity of the reassembled human form. The use of synthetic flesh is startling and not easily ignored, much like a physical malady. Wearing someone else’s neck as is made possible by The Elegance of Age, or someone else’s mouth as a brooch, as in Poison?, intrigues me. These were inspired by the desire to explore the beauty in age, physical maladies and insecurities.This universal experience is something that everyone has an opinion about. I am creating work to provoke dialogue about these issues.

      The human form is both the inspiration and the method of display for my work. The exploration of materials and their relationship with traditional jewelry and the body is an exciting endeavor. I have exposed my own emotional insecurities within my work and by doing so have gained a greater acceptance of the unique differences that imperfections create. I have taken part in the dialogue that was begun by the artists that have come before me. I will continue my exploration of the human form, building on my ideals and continued acceptance of physical imperfection.