• Graduation

• Engagement

• Portrait

• Concert

• Personal Work

• Origin of a Gem

• Glass DNA

• Analog

• Alternative Process

Artist Statement: "Origin of a Gem"

The work "Origin of a Gem" embodies my growing awareness of the impact that my creative practice has on the environment, particularly when it comes to the materials I use. This piece is part of an ongoing exploration of sustainability and mindfulness in my work, where I delve into the relationship between process, material, and memory.The concept of this piece emerged when I began working with found glass—glass that would typically be discarded in the studio. As I sorted through this waste, I recognized an opportunity to transform these remnants into something valuable. The process of coldworking this glass into a gem-like object was lengthy and repetitive, requiring both patience and precision. As I carefully shaped each piece, I found myself deeply engaged in the act of transformation, considering the energy and time required to turn waste into something beautiful. In doing so, I began to reflect on my role as an artist and the broader implications of my material choices."Origin of a Gem" serves as a metaphor for the way in which we often overlook the value of discarded materials, and how intentional care can breathe new life into them. The gem-like forms I create are symbolic of the beauty that can emerge from our waste, and the mindful interaction with materials as an act of responsibility.This piece is part of a larger body of work that examines the connection between memory, process, and materiality. In my Glass DNA series, I explore the unique ways in which glass, like photograms, captures and holds memory. Glass retains a permanent mark with every touch of the tool, much like a photograph exposed to light. The imperfect, one-of-a-kind nature of glass is mirrored in the unique impressions left by the sun, reminding me of the ways that time and experience leave lasting imprints on both materials and memories.In Origin of a Gem, I reflect on my practice as a continual dialogue between creation and responsibility, seeking to transform the discarded into something precious and timeless, and in doing so, reconsidering the impact of every choice I make as an artist.

Glass DNA

When creating this series, inspiration sparked from process of printing photograms, in conjunction with making glass objects via the hot shop.When producing glass objects in the hot shop, every touch of the instruments used when creating a piece is permanently imprinted in the glass. As a result, glass retains memory, and no two handcrafted pieces are exactly the same, which is similar to photograms.In photography, photograms seize and record the memory of any object that is placed on the photosensitized page. Similar to glass, the process lends to the surface memorizing what was placed onto it. By utilizing UV exposure from the sun, no two photograms will be truly identical due to its ever-changing location.