There are many Japanese words and concepts that I live by. One of them is the concept of Wabi Sabi, the beauty of things imperfect, impermanent and incomplete.

Zen is an attitude or way of life and through meditation, one can empty the mind of past and future thoughts and live in the present moment. One can increase their awareness of their environment and surroundings, live simple lives and appreciate the simple beauty around them. Zen means being aware of your oneness with the universe and your connection to nature. Stemming from these Zen arts and aesthetics is wabi sabi… for example, the tea room is simple, minimal, rustic, plain, weathered perhaps… all so one can focus on the tea ceremony which is to empty the mind and live in the moment. One can focus on the tiny details… which often can go unnoticed. Wabi implies a rustic simplicity and sabi is about the beauty and grace that only becomes visible with age and the passage of time.

Wabi is a love of all things, either man made or in nature that are rustic, weathered, rusty, worn, torn, yellowed, simple, minimal… imbalanced… natural and ordinary. Sabi accepts the passage of time and the natural cycle of birth, growth, decay and death. We are all transient beings and we should pay attention to the present moments. Wabi Sabi is a way of viewing the world that accepts the impermanence and imperfections of our surroundings and existence.

It is the quieter side of the world that inspires my works… the feellings that arise through my connection with the natural world. I look for patterns in stones, aged patinas on old walls, yellowed papers, and contrasts of light and dark. Through layering, I build up textures. I use a limited palette of subdued colors to create spareness and intimacy. My works are minimal, subdued, textured… all to portray the passage of time.

I also believe in the Beauty of Nothingness… that things are devolving toward or evolving away from nothingness. The cycle of life is an example. Nothingness is alive with possibility. Truth comes from the observation of nature. “Greatness” exists in the inconspicuous and overlooked details. One accepts the inevitable, which is the cycle of life. All things in nature are impermanent… weather, time, seasons, and cycles affect everything in nature.

I believe very strongly in Sense of Place. When one collects, forages, and gathers objects from their environment, they gather the history of the place and the connection to it. Whether they find a decaying leaf, a feather, seed pods, unfurling fern frond, lichen on a fallen stick… one can abstract the essence of the place to create something new.

I also believe that our memories are so intertwined with language I like to explore the importance of words and sentences, even poetry… in my work. I believe that I have a story to tell. Stories become our compass by which we navigate through our memories and discover our core being. We use our stories to build our sanctuaries. I am always searching and discovering my past memories in order to create and my current body of work. With the passage of time there is a transience depicted with recollections, gaps or faded memory, traces and layers. My work is a reflection of this transient cycle of life and embedded with Zen tenets.