My work examines boundaries, barriers, warnings and lies.
 

I am a sculptor, designer and draftsman whose studio practice extends over 40 years. I received a Master of Studio Arts degree from the University of Georga in 1977. Not wanting to teach but to “make things” I took a position as an Exhibit Designer with the newly created North Carolina Zoological Park.  I did this for over 15 years, first as an employee then later as an independent contractor and finally as artist in residence.  Those years segued into a full-time studio practice and the beginnings of a relationship with the artist Jan Chenoweth, first in North Carolina, then Chattanooga, TN and for the last 5 years in the burgeoning artists community of Lake City, SC. Currently Jan and I have moved to Charleston, SC.  Although we have operated both studios and galleries in Tennessee and the Carolinas due to the chronic illness that Jan is fighting to recover from, my tasks over the past 6 years have also included those of her primary care giver.  Those significant life changes made us reevaluate our practices and so we chose to give up our studio and gallery in Lake City, SC.  I now maintain a studio in our apartment here in Charleston.  Along with my current work I have an extensive inventory of sculpture and drawings stored locally in a climate-controlled facility. 

My sculptures examine boundaries, and the barriers, warnings, and possible lies that are associated with them. Through my sculpture, I explore how we interpret and relate to boundaries, both physical or psychological. I often incorporate cautionary symbols into three-dimensional forms to create objects that evoke ambiguity and provoke questions about place and personal interaction. These forms often reference natural rock outcroppings or the Neolithic megaliths I’ve encountered in Ireland, Scotland, and Cornwall. These forms feel both archaic and contemporary and resonate with our collective unconscious.

I work primarily with steel and concrete, materials that feel as accessible to me as the giant stones once moved by my Neolithic ancestors. In series like Land Buoys and Wall Crossings, I use cautionary stripes and relief elements that can both emphasize and obscure the form while inviting viewers to consider the tension between visibility and concealment.

My drawings are studies for what is and what might become.  They are direct manifestations of my creative process.

Ultimately, my work is meditation on the human condition, the boundaries we impose, the truths we seek, and the lies we live with. I believe that by confronting these constructs, we move closer to understanding ourselves.