Scroll to view two CAS Visual Arts projects.

Fawn and Sparrow Automaton, 2021

Apoxie sculpt, plaster, wire mesh, wire, and gesso

30 x 45 x 10 inches

I have always been a maker as well as a searcher. Exploration of the natural world was extremely important in my childhood, and it has formed who I am today. By studying the natural world through observation, I have come to a point of familiarity with many organic shapes, and now incorporate them into my artwork. Although it might come as a surprise to some because of their abundance, I found myself especially drawn to deer and considered them one of my favorite animals. Their delicate frames hold a deceiving amount of power, and I believe that if they were more rare, people would be in awe each time a deer quietly passed by their lawn. Since I live in a city, I have not seen many deer in my lifetime, and I vividly remember all of my encounters with them. I remember feeling like I was being watched by the deer as strongly as I was observing it. Feeding sparrows and other birds was another way I connected with nature in an industrial setting.

When I visited the Musee Mecanique, I felt a strong sense of wonder as I explored all of the machines inside. It is a very intimate experience with the art, having to lean in close to view the displays inside, or manually move components of the machinery in order for them to play. Some of the apparatuses at the Musee Mecanique were over a century old, and all of them used materials that seem out of place compared to modern day devices. The automatons often sat inside a wooden box with a glass viewing frame, and metal signage advertised what was inside or encouraged the viewer to interact. Some of the machines incorporated music, or small plaster figures that moved across scenery. I became fascinated by the idea of art as a device, especially one without a screen.

For my CAS art project, I chose to create an automaton featuring a deer and a sparrow. This was a way for me to immortalize the sense of wonder I felt exploring as a child, as well as at the Musee Mecanique. I wanted to create an interactive and personal experience for the viewer, because art can serve as a human-like presence during times of solitude. As you slowly crank the machine, you can peer through the holes in the fawn’s body which mimic spots to watch as the mechanics move and the sparrow's wings begin to flap. The wire limbs and neck of the deer along with its hollow frame portray vulnerability, and encourage the viewer to interact carefully as they crouch down to spin the crank. I chose to use exposed wire to form the deer’s head and legs, and to reveal the more industrial materials used -- but I also used plaster just as some of the devices from the Musee Mecanique.

Without the viewer, the automaton would be perpetually still. Interacting with this piece encourages the viewer to check in on their vulnerability and ability to search for positivity. My hope with this project is that I am able to urge anyone who interacts with this piece to view the world around them with appreciation even of things which are commonplace.

Click images to enlarge.

Masks, 2021

Inkjet Prints

19 x 28 inches each

I decided to step out of my comfort zone by photographing self portraits and emphasizing different variations of myself to create a character. In each image, I consciously place myself in context to a prop or “mask” that I made, so that the viewer has to examine the series as a whole to piece together what I look like. Although Masks was inspired by the masks we have been accustomed to wearing for safety over the pandemic, my “masks” and headpieces cover different sections of my face at a time, and are created using a variety of materials such as stamps, paper, celluclay, wire mesh, produce, etc. Some of the recurring symbols in these pieces are vibrancy and repetition. For example, the bright boxes of the stamps mirror the blue checkered background of the lettuce mask, and I made sure that each image had bright color and contrast, even if it is distinct from the other images in the series. This project was important for me to tackle because I am very tentative to take self portraits, and instead focus on capturing my perspective. Through incorporating props that I made, and covering a portion of my face, I am showing my personal growth throughout the series as I emerge from behind my various masks and allow each portion of my face that was covered to be documented.