Nahlik Rock Tower

While on vacation, my brothers and I built a rock tower which we (obviously) christened the "Nahlik Rock Tower," in Grand Cayman. We spent a few hours gathering and stacking rocks, and had a pretty nice end result.. When it came time to leave, we just left it as is. Our thought was that someone would either try to add to it and knock it down or that they would just intentionally knock it down. I'm not sure which I'd prefer. It was a very Andy Goldsworthy-esque, and we did it knowingly so. Definitely doesn't even begin to compare to a Goldsworthy piece, but it's something.

America 2001-2009

This project began as a relief print for a printmaking class. It is a linoleum cutout of Dick Cheney and George W. Bush. My objective for the project was to create a print based on the word "nominal." I applied that to contemporary politics, and used hierarchy to emphasize whom was being nominalized. These particular prints were test prints for my final project, done on a really thin, fabric-like paper. After a while of them just laying around, I laid them out to see what kind of shape I could get out of them, as I could not think of anything else to do with them. They were the perfect dimensions for a flag. I painted them with the appropriate water colors to make it more obviously a flag and months later finally sewed them together, to give it more color and texture as well as to emphasize, once again, the flag idea. I then cut two 2 x 4's in half longways and built a frame, spray-painted white on which to attach my "flag," which I did with a staple gun. I am extraordinarily pleased with this project. It also reminds me, due to the repetition, of my "37 Fountains," an obvious Warhol influence, though I'm unawares if Warhol ever segued into politics.

America 2001-2009
Mixed Media
36" x 24"

America (detail)

America (detail)

America (detail)

Sculpture

So I noticed all of posts so far have been 2D pieces. As quite a few of the pieces that I've done are 3D, I thought I ought to post some sculptures that I've done.

Letters Chandelier (for Hannah)
Dimensions variable- approximately 18" x 18"
Plastic, magnets, wire, glue, wires, and lights

This is a chandelier I did for my friend Hannah in 2009. The idea began with hers and some of mine magnet letters (from our childhood, the letters you put on the fridge to help your alphabet and spelling kids). She had asked me to do something with the letters, and I decided that a chandelier would be the most interesting thing to do with them. I began with a wire armature and glued the letters around it, leaving a large enough hole at the top to put in lights and attach a hook with which to hang the chandelier. I filled the sculpture with clear christmas lights, as they would be the easiest to change if they burn out. I made a hook and attached it to the top so the sculpture could be hung. I am extremely extremely pleased with it and I believe she is too.

Untitled
approximately 24" x 24"
Wood, stain, and glue

This sculpture is a wood relief that I created in 2008. It began with a square wall relief that I had sketched out a while ago (which I still may do at some point in the future), and morphed into circles. They then acquired gaps, pegs, and holes to add more interest to the piece as a whole. The final shape was more chance than I like to put in my pieces. Since I couldn't lay the pieces exactly as I sketched them out, I put them in a general arrangement and they became what is shown as I glued them together. I am quite enamored with the piece and gave it to my brother, Rob.