>Handmade paper sculpture is a mix of rich texture and free form, able to be manipulated and finished into works that look anywhere from industrial to organic. It may appear heavy and massive like metal or stone, but of course it is very light weight.
I'm drawn to the forms, shapes and textures found in nature and gather things like pine needles, twigs and seed pods to inspire me or to actually use in my art. It can best be described as rustic-earthy, abstract and contemporary, often with a southwest feel.
Although I sketch out an idea, it's another thing entirely to bring a concept from drawing to sculpture--from two dimensions into three. Consequently, the process itself is experimental and spontaneous, often pouring pulp into the desired shape, size and thickness, sometimes embedding things in the pulp. Other times a sheet is pulled from a vat and the shape is manipulated from that. Base color is achieved by mixing pigments into the pulp, and sometimes I airbrush in more color over a dried piece or even drip sealing wax for effect. Once all the pieces are dry and completed, they are arranged and combined with other elements into a finished sculpture (most often one that is mounted to hang on a wall). I think of it as a process of learning and discovery from start to finish and anything goes.