Sculptural Woodwork

In a society that relies heavily on stories of individual trauma to catalyze social change, much of my work contends with the pressure to fill expectations of vulnerability as a survivor of sexual violence. I explore the practices of emotional display and concealment as motivated by both personal desire and societal coercion. Through sculptural self-portraiture, I seek a visual language that will balance my desire for honest vulnerability with protective anonymity.

These Hands Are Getting Heavy, 2022

My most recent work, These Hands Are Getting Heavy, consists of a pair of carved hands emerging from the wall. Their position suggests they are carrying something weighty yet unseen, the only proof of their struggle being their strained pose.

The hands’ open posture and raw carving marks display honest vulnerability and emotion. They are boldly visible with the pain of trauma. Yet, the hands are just a segment of the body they belong to, and their interaction with the wall draws attention to the concealment of the rest of the figure. By denying the audience the spectacle of the entire body, the piece questions the neutrality of its viewers and of the gallery wall.

Confluence, 2022

Confluence will be auctioned to benefit the Westport River Watershed Alliance in Westport, MA. It speaks to the merging of water and land within an estuary and the important role that saltwater marshes play in contributing to regional biodiversity, particularly through their role as nurseries for numerous species. I use embroidery inlaid into wood to convey the concurrence of vulnerability and protection.

Holding Space for Softness, 2021

Holding Space for Softness, a series of boxes inlaid with abstract embroidery, explores my experience navigating vulnerability as a woman and a survivor. I have often felt pressured, both by individuals and our collective society, to question the validity of my perceived reality, particularly in relation to the experience of trauma.

These works are a reaction to that pressure. They symbolize the choice to hold space for emotional expression, instead of restraining it or laying it completely bare. The contrasting materialities of wood and fiber speak to the necessity of maintaining open softness alongside protective hardness. The embroidered designs, embedded below the surface of the wood, emphasize the box’s sacrality, alluding to an inner intricacy and depth. By embracing the functionality of these sculptural works, I reclaim the societal perception of women as vessels, professing strength in the ability to deliberately hold and share one’s experience.

Maple with embroidery inlay.

Let Go!, 2018

Let Go! is a self-portrait of pain and transformation following sexual assault.

The carved body, jarringly segmented, emphasizes my perception of detachment from and loss of autonomy over my body. The placement of the pieces also subtly references the practice of hanging hunting trophies as souvenirs of violence, speaking to the normalization of rape culture and the experience of physical violation. Together, the parts form a contorted figure, mimicking the distorting effects of paranoia and self-distrust while also displaying strength in its unity and expression.

The material, basswood, although soft, is laborious to carve. Each mark was deliberately made, required physical effort, and could not be easily undone. In this way, the carving process became yet another manifestation of the effects of my trauma and of the resilience it has taken to heal.

Other pieces that have dealt with the subject of rape and objectification such as Cut Piece by Yoko Ono, Ceci N'est Pas Un Viol by Emma Sulkowicz and Untitled(Rape Scene) by Ana Mendieta have questioned their viewers’ neutrality, and essentially rendered their audience complicit in the violence that is the subject of each piece. While leveraging empathy and discomfort, the figure’s exposed yet assertive stance also compels viewers to question the intent of their gaze. There is undoubtedly a certain voyeurism in consuming the physical manifestation of other’s trauma. Responsibility should be implicit in the act of looking.

Basswood and oil paint stain.

Organic Modularity, 2017

Basswood.