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Artist's Statement In most cases, these works have sprung from my experiences living in Hawaii. Although I currently live in New York City, my frequent visits back to the islands provide a contrast to my urban life. In this work, I reflect on memories of my youth and the landscape and culture of Hawaii. Hula dancers from backstage. The end of the beginning of a performance. The farewell "Aloha" dance also bids goodbye to a cultural dance lost to commercialism and world tourism. A figure skewered through the back by a surfboard at the water's edge evokes suicide, sacrifice, mishap, and the death of youth. The landscapes in these works are transformed and private. The oceanfront, a symbol of wealth and luxury, provides an environment where two extremes of the social/economic order exist -- public beaches abut private property. Lost artifacts, often woodcarvings, found in a museum, always seem to be looking for context. They live in museums and private collections, but are looking to the past for the culture they served, as real ancestors, spirits, and gods. |