Rock Formations

This project was conceptualized over the course of one semester. The execution had to be complete within 10 weeks and it was a solo project that demanded time and energy. The result was a full scale test for a potential finalized edition with better quality materials and the ability to have a uni-body construction would be a part of the final design. This project had to have the ability to come apart within 8 hours and fit through a standard doorway. That being said I am pleased with the final product of this full scale model.

Artist Statement:

The Inuit people call their version of cairns ‘inukshuk’ which translates as “to act in the capacity of a human.” I focused on my Jewish cultural tradition involving stones. It involves placing stones on the site of a loved one’s grave for memorialization. The word for pebble in Hebrew is tz’ror, which is also the word for bond. The El Maleh Rahamim prayer is said over the dead and part of it translates as “may the soul be bound up into eternal life”. The same word was also used to describe the pebble a shepherd would keep for each animal’s life in his flock. There is an eternal quality to stone and it is also human nature to seek eternality in life. Something I have experienced making a large quantity of stones is the physical strain and amount of energy required to create these objects that nature spends so much time shaping. The meditative process of carving and sanding by hand lead to the thought of how much force nature must exert over rocks. Carving from soft wood I experience a fraction of how much energy it takes for nature to carve stone. This soft wood that emulates stone is also imitating the way we try and shape our ephemeral selves into these eternal beings through a long history involving stones. The tactile aspect of walking barefoot in sand and water work towards meditation. The sand being the results of water exerting force onto stone breaking down this eternal material.

For more detail feel free to view my entire project documentation 

A Project I started during Junior year at Judson what was featured in the gallery for our Methods of Critique class. While working on this project I developed the beginnings of my Thesis project while waiting for glue on this project to dry. 
This project was working from the Fibonacci sequence and is an example of a few directions I would like to take this series in the future. There is a central 13 inch cube with 8 vertices and thus then 8, 8 inch cubes attached to each one. On 5 of the vertices of the 8 inch cubes are 5 inch cubes and so on down to the tail of the piece which has a 1 inch cube. This method can branch out and take the form of several other unique but similar configurations. I have greatly enjoyed playing with the source of light to adjust the shadows and letting the sculpture spin and watching the shadows move with it. 

Rock Formations

The Inuit people call their version of cairns ‘inukshuk’ which translates as “to act in the capacity of a human.” I focused on my Jewish cultural tradition involving stones. It involves placing stones on the site of a loved one’s grave for memorialization. The word for pebble in Hebrew is tz’ror, which is also the word for bond. The El Maleh Rahamim prayer is said over the dead and part of it translates as “may the soul be bound up into eternal life”. The same word was also used to describe the pebble a shepherd would keep for each animal’s life in his flock. There is an eternal quality to stone and it is also human nature to seek eternality in life. Something I have experienced making a large quantity of stones is the physical strain and amount of energy required to create these objects that nature spends so much time shaping. The meditative process of carving and sanding by hand lead to the thought of how much force nature must exert over rocks. Carving from soft wood I experience a fraction of how much energy it takes for nature to carve stone. This soft wood that emulates stone is also imitating the way we try and shape our ephemeral selves into these eternal beings through a long history involving stones. The tactile aspect of walking barefoot in sand and water work towards meditation. The sand being the results of water exerting force onto stone breaking down this eternal material. 

Rock Formations

The Inuit people call their version of cairns ‘inukshuk’ which translates as “to act in the capacity of a human.” I focused on my Jewish cultural tradition involving stones. It involves placing stones on the site of a loved one’s grave for memorialization. The word for pebble in Hebrew is tz’ror, which is also the word for bond. The El Maleh Rahamim prayer is said over the dead and part of it translates as “may the soul be bound up into eternal life”. The same word was also used to describe the pebble a shepherd would keep for each animal’s life in his flock. There is an eternal quality to stone and it is also human nature to seek eternality in life. Something I have experienced making a large quantity of stones is the physical strain and amount of energy required to create these objects that nature spends so much time shaping. The meditative process of carving and sanding by hand lead to the thought of how much force nature must exert over rocks. Carving from soft wood I experience a fraction of how much energy it takes for nature to carve stone. This soft wood that emulates stone is also imitating the way we try and shape our ephemeral selves into these eternal beings through a long history involving stones. The tactile aspect of walking barefoot in sand and water work towards meditation. The sand being the results of water exerting force onto stone breaking down this eternal material. 

Rock Formations

The Inuit people call their version of cairns ‘inukshuk’ which translates as “to act in the capacity of a human.” I focused on my Jewish cultural tradition involving stones. It involves placing stones on the site of a loved one’s grave for memorialization. The word for pebble in Hebrew is tz’ror, which is also the word for bond. The El Maleh Rahamim prayer is said over the dead and part of it translates as “may the soul be bound up into eternal life”. The same word was also used to describe the pebble a shepherd would keep for each animal’s life in his flock. There is an eternal quality to stone and it is also human nature to seek eternality in life. Something I have experienced making a large quantity of stones is the physical strain and amount of energy required to create these objects that nature spends so much time shaping. The meditative process of carving and sanding by hand lead to the thought of how much force nature must exert over rocks. Carving from soft wood I experience a fraction of how much energy it takes for nature to carve stone. This soft wood that emulates stone is also imitating the way we try and shape our ephemeral selves into these eternal beings through a long history involving stones. The tactile aspect of walking barefoot in sand and water work towards meditation. The sand being the results of water exerting force onto stone breaking down this eternal material. 

The first steps I had made before transitioning to balsa wood for my cubes and light project. The first one I would enjoy to turn into a large scale outdoor sculpture and explore some of these further. 

Purely my own expression in the abstract format. I enjoy painting for my own pleasure. 

Rock Formations

The Inuit people call their version of cairns ‘inukshuk’ which translates as “to act in the capacity of a human.” I focused on my Jewish cultural tradition involving stones. It involves placing stones on the site of a loved one’s grave for memorialization. The word for pebble in Hebrew is tz’ror, which is also the word for bond. The El Maleh Rahamim prayer is said over the dead and part of it translates as “may the soul be bound up into eternal life”. The same word was also used to describe the pebble a shepherd would keep for each animal’s life in his flock. There is an eternal quality to stone and it is also human nature to seek eternality in life. Something I have experienced making a large quantity of stones is the physical strain and amount of energy required to create these objects that nature spends so much time shaping. The meditative process of carving and sanding by hand lead to the thought of how much force nature must exert over rocks. Carving from soft wood I experience a fraction of how much energy it takes for nature to carve stone. This soft wood that emulates stone is also imitating the way we try and shape our ephemeral selves into these eternal beings through a long history involving stones. The tactile aspect of walking barefoot in sand and water work towards meditation. The sand being the results of water exerting force onto stone breaking down this eternal material. 

These photographs are shot on a 35mm manual camera using color and also black and white 400 speed film. This form of artistic expression is more for my own pleasure than attempting to add to the world of art. I enjoy them and I have used this to share some of the experiences I had on my trip to Italy. The first set of pictures were taken at my favorite place on earth, Burano Italy. The rest are taken in Rome, Florance, San Gimignano, and Venice.

My favorite Graphic Design project I worked on. We had to choose an American beverage company and re-brand their bottle. I chose this company because I have been interested in Mead and I felt that it would be a compelling brand to work with. Never been to their meadery but hope to see it someday.

Brother's Drake

The Label:

Reclaimed leather etched with a laser cutter and stained using water color and sealant.

The Box:

Wood cut and jointed together. Etched with a laser cutter and also stained using water color to bring out clarity in the etching.