Steel, patina, paint, string.
60” x 27” x 21”

Steel, paint, string.
34” x 18” x 27”



In Floating Topographies I begin with topograph­ical maps of specific mountains and radically transform their recognizable shapes through splitting, folding, and repositioning hand-traced elements. In these topographical works, I am merging the realms of mapping and land­scape with sculptural constructions, investing contemporary environ­mental contexts with aesthetic meaning. Can a mountain float above us, prompting us to reflect on our reliance on nature? How can an artwork portray the rising and erosion of mountains to redefine our perceptions and recollections of them? Can we strip away the vastness and enormity of a mountain?

The drawings and sculptures are rooted in hand-traced topographic information that documents Appalachian peaks before they were lost to mountain-top surface mining, as well as peaks in California’s Sierra Nevada. Even the towering and relatively younger Western mountains face threats like fires and melting glaciers. My concentration on peaks within these ranges stems from my upbringing hik­ing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and my current proximity to the Appalachian Mountains. Through video pieces, I integrate textile installations into these mountain landscapes, returning to a foundation in land-based artwork.

Many of the sculptures are constructed from materials cut or shaped following the contour lines of those specific mountains. Before I transformed them into sculptural pieces, I retraced the large flat shapes as starting points for the drawings. I altered and rearranged them to move away from conventional topographic representation. Through bending, rolling, rejoining, and welding, I reintroduce the flatness of maps into three-dimensional forms in unexpected ways. The solidity of a mountain morphs into a delicate impression suspended in the air, conveying transparency, and invoking its essence.

Steel, paint, masonite, and mylar
46” x 34” x 13”

Steel, paint, string.
47” x 18” x 21”

Steel, paint, patina, canvas, walnut dye
12” x 60” x 60”