Is Mankind still part of Mother Nature, or will our excess technology and tendency for mass consumption separate us from Her permanently?

My artwork challenges the notion that humanity is the master of nature. Is man as much of a reflection of nature as much of a part of man? Did the ancient peoples create their gods from the forces of nature or did the forces of nature manifest themselves through the animalistic subconscious of man? We tell ourselves in this plastic, artificial world that we can overpower the “inconvenient” forces of nature, but at what cost?

Having spent the majority of my life in the rural Blue Ridge region of the Southern Appalachians, my contact with natural world is direct and personal. This interaction allows me to observe how we, as humans, perceive, interact and manipulate the land and animals that comprise our natural environment. I constantly witness Nature’s cycles of birth and death, destruction, rebirth and life. I question if Mans’ interpretation of nature is biased by our own notions of beauty and morality. My artwork strongly reflects my curiosity and fascination with the natural forces, both real and perceived, in the world around us.

As an artist, I take daily note in the ebb and flow to my artistic process, much in the same way there are ebbs and flows in the natural world. I am constantly working in my sketchbook, drawing, building ideas and documenting the world around me. These casual observations lead me to look critically at the landscape we seem to hold so dear. Rather than the eye-pleasing images we have trained ourselves to see, my interest is in the objects that dominate the landscape as opposed to a simple depiction of its scenery. I frequently depict man-made objects (that do not fit into our scheme of what is aesthetically pleasing), which allows me to observe the interaction between man and the landscape.

My series of large scale India ink paintings depict the elemental forces of Stone, Air and Water as unchangeable forces that shape my mountain. The water drawings document the mountain stream by which I pass every day on my way to work. I include only images of the surface tension between the water and air, depicting only the constantly changing pattern of ripples. In this ebb and flow of current, I see the transitional nature of the world and myself upon it. Using the geometric construction of the high voltage towers that cut across the mountain, my sculptures depict a hybrid creature that reflects an evolution of our spirituality and deities.

I hope the viewer will question the impact Mankind’s action has on nature. Is today’s science of genetic manipulation a fulfillment of our instinctual urge to dominate? Or rather is it a descendent of our ancient caveman rituals to become part of the hunt and sacrifice? Does either one result in our own self-destruction with the creation of new genetic horrors into this world? Here in the year 2007, are we on the brink of creating our own gods or instead, are we creating our demons? Is our path snowballing us down, leading us to utopia, or farther from it?

Are we heading towards heaven or hell? Eden or a mediocre artificial anxiety-ridden suburban existence?