Northeast Forest

there is an... "affinity one feels in wilderness, no matter how vast, for all the violence and tenderness, all the ravages and salvations inherent in any breathtaking landscape. It is what holds us and feeds us as no table can. Perhaps there are hungers that only Art and Nature and Spirit can fill."

Gillian Welch

Peregrine

96”H x 30”W x 16”D

Grape leaves, Duck Wings, Various Feathers, Fishnet

The Stranger in the Forest

57”H x 28” W x 14”D

Phragmites, Various Leaves, Horsehair

Olive Oil

84”H x 36”W x 24”D

Birchbark, Papier Mache, Fern, Grasses, Paint

Song of the Wandering Angus

78”H x 42”W x 18”D

Phragmites in various stages, Pine Branches, Various Barks, Various Leaves, Paint

Midnight in the Garden

66”H x 38”W x 12”D

Phragmites, Chinese Lantern, Maple , Poplar Leaves, Gold Leaf, Fake Fur

Ancestor

turkey feathers, sumac, hydrangea,49"H X 52" W X 36" D

Suzannah

maple, willow,peony, 81"H X 42" W X 14"D

Pelt

phragmites, fish net, maple and beach leaves, deer legs, 84"H x 37"W x 12"D

Young Buck

oak, maple, phragmite leaves and tops, papier mache, gold leaf, 66"H X 36"W X 12"D

Call of the Wild, Grandma?

beech Leaves, pine branches, papier mache, various barks, ferns, gold leaf 78"H X 30"W X 12" D

Heron

Various leaves, antique hat, fabric, wire, moss, 66"H X 16" W X 12" D

Owl

60”H x 18”W x 10”D

Grape and Maple Leaves, Phragmites, garden Rakes

Invasive Pet-Show Shot

52” H x 25”W x 12”D

Sea Cherry Leaves, Phragmites, Grape Leaves, Paint

The Bound Man

5.5' H X 2.5 ' W X 1'D Various Barks, dried lake weeds, Poplar and Maple leaves, Rope,

The Useless Tree

66” H x 27”W x 22”W

Various Barks, Grape Vine, Maple Leaves

Bayman

Phragmite,moss, pine branches,bark, 68"H X 24" W X 12" D

La Boheme

red maple, heucera, echinacea,pine needles, 62" H X 32" W X 9" D

Night Owl

Phragmite, calla, beech,maple, 60"H X 60" W X 10"D

Sleeping Cape

Phragmite, cottonwood, maple, linden, 75"H X 72" W X 12" D

Forest shoes

Swan lake

Walkin' Through the Rye

30” H x 8” W x 12”L

Phragmites Leaves

I Won't Dance, Dont Ask Me

16” H x 8”W x 13”L

Various barks, Grape leaves , Phragmites

Run Away!!

6”H x 4” W x 17”L

Birchbark, Sea Cherry Leaves, Various Flowers

Oh My Fiery Feet

Great Expectations

Bear Claws

Traveling Light

Mr. Fox Stepped Out

Creatures

This gallery contains some of my explorations into feral animals, real and imagined. The “Invasive Desert Broom” and “Phragamites Terribilis Aberrationem” make use of the invasive Phragmites Australis Plant. I use the flowers when they first bloom in August before they develop seeds. The color is a beautiful purple brown and the material possesses long lasting integrity. I also use the plumes in the spring after they have survived the winter. Their color is more golden and makes a fine contrast. I think of this material as Vegan Fur

Desperation and Hunger

36” H x 18”W x 45”L each

Phragmites, chicken wires, black trash bags, papier mache

Phragmites Terribilis Aberrationem-Juvenile

24”H x 13”W x 45”L

Phragmites, Papier Mache, Paint

This piece and the piece below are part of an Installation about a new species that is the result of Lateral Genetic Transfer. Phragmites, the invasive plant, opportunistically bred with a goat and a wild pig- two animals that are often turned loose in large Phragmites fields in order to eat the stalks and plow up the roots. The combined genetics evolved into a creature whose intention is worldwide invasion. The scientist who discovered the new species has thwarted its plans and turned it into an exotic pet.

Phragmites Terribilis Aberrationem -Adult

36”H x 24”W x 120”L

Phragmites, Papier Mache, Led lights, Servo motor and speaker to animate torso breathing action and sound

Invasive Desert Broom

13”H x 18”W x 57”L

Sea Cherry Leaves, Phragmites, Paint

Wyoming

These are a selection of pieces I created while at a residency at Brush Creeks Arts Foundation in Saratoga, Wyoming.

This is a high plateau environment and the primary materials I utilized were sagebrush foliage, bark and trunks as well as Aspen and Cottonwood sticks.

Brushfire

sagebrush foliage and twigs

5'H x5'W x4'D

Hespiria

Aspen and cottonwood twigs, cottonwood bark, twine

7'H x 7.5 W x 5'D

Chuckwagon

sage foliage, sage bark and trunks, Cottonwood and Aspen and willow sticks, acrylic paint
10'diameter

Chuck Wagon Detail

The Thing hiding under the Bed

sagebrush foliage and wood, cottonwood bark

6'X 3.5' X 1'D

Varmint

Sage, Aspen, and Cottonwood wood and bark

3.5'H x 1'W X 3"D

Prairie Chicken

Sage wood and foliage, Cotton wood and Aspen branches, willow twine

7" H x 4' W X 6"D

Prairie Chicken Detail

Collaborations

The work in this gallery was created for a variety of sites in collaboration with two different fellow artists. We fought with giant grapevines to seduce them out of the tangled forest, we pruned apples trees into shapely forms and commandeered the prunings, and cut curly willow branches. We experimented with combinations of leaves and bark and clay and branches. In the end we suffered from dislocated thumbs and shoulders, but our abundant daily picnics made it all worth it.

La Grande Chaise de Salon

With Susan Raber Bray, Grapevine, slates, 10' W X 8' D X 7' H Shelburne Farms, Site specific sculpture for Of Land and Local 2015

La Grande Chaise de Salon (back)

Lark de Tromphe, Shelburne farms

12' H x 25' W x 3' D grape vine , various saplings and twigs. With Susan Raber Bray

Forest Phone Booth

With Susan Raber Bray, apple prunings, dogwood, grapevine, saplings, 15'H X 3'D x 3' W, Queen City Park, S. Burlington, VT

Garden Parasol

With Juliet McVicker, John Rivers, Susan Raber Bray, Willow Branches, 12'H X 10'W X 5'D, Shelburne VT.

Queen Bee, Of Land and Local show shot

9' H X 6' W X 3.5 'D Apple Prunings, Grapevine, with S. Raber Bray

Titania's Chaise, Of Land and Local show shot

6' H X 6' W X 10' D, Curly willow, grape vine, maple leaves, tulle. With Susan Raber Bray

Invasive Pet, side view, Of Land and Local Show shot

4.5' H X 3.5'W X 3.5' D phragmites tops and leaves, Maple, Calla leaves, Clay be Susan Raber Bray

Therianthropy

This gallery contains a few selections created for a show at the Henry Sheldon Museum in Middlebury, Vermont in 2013.

I was asked to curate 19th and early 20th century clothing from the museum's vintage collection and pair it with my work. I responded by focusing on themes of constriction and societal convention, nature and the wild. I could not resist including levity in the process.