My body of work embraces the functional aesthetics of architecture in both natural structures and the designed world. When applied carefully, engineering elements and naturally occurring patterns service the decorative aesthetic. I look to wooden boat and aircraft forms, mathematical surfaces, and biological structures as primary sources of inspiration.
The advent of digital design and fabrication tools allow for a vastly expanded artistic vocabulary. Complex curves and surfaces can now be created and manipulated with a staggering level of accuracy and repeatability. Larger, more intricate pieces can be created in a fraction of the time it once took craftsmen working with traditional tools.
Technology is inherently collaborative and inter-disciplinary. Interactions with materials and tools reflect a dense history of design and intention, and increasingly complex technologies add layers to the creative process. Collaborations with Mathematicians, Architects, and Engineers play a critical role in my current art + design practice.
Emerging technologies can both enhance and threaten traditional craft. Handmade art (through the directness of imperfect human touch) retains an honesty and vibrancy that no machine can duplicate. I seek a synthesis of my traditional furniture-making background with my more recent training in digital design and fabrication. I strive for a harmony between these categorically different modalities, where digital design expands traditional design, rather than eclipsing or replacing it.