WOOD SCULPTURE AND DESIGN

The trajectory of my art has been through science. During an era of tremendous advancement in cell and molecular biology occurring in the 1970s and 80s, I gained a doctoral degree in these fields from the University of California at Los Angeles. At this institution, I pursued a career in biomedical research while developing a keen interest in woodworking and art. I began to seriously produce wood artwork in 2002, and have recently transitioned into a full-time wood artist. My style and approach are my own, greatly influenced by my background in biology. In my artwork, I try to express the dynamic form of growth and symmetry encountered in cells and tissues, as well as in whole organisms throughout the natural world. Without attempting to accurately portray biological structures, I use organic shapes and abstract forms, like holes and fissures, to achieve the perception of biological growth in my artwork. Often my aim is for a sculpture to appear as if it arose by the process of natural growth rather than carved by human hands. I also enjoy the use of biological specimens, such as fossils and butterflies, as central features in my sculptures, playing off their form and symmetry. Wood seems a natural choice of medium, as it is derived from the processes of biological growth that is the foundation of my artistic style.