The trajectory to my art has been through a pathway of 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 biological
background. In my artwork, I try to express the form and line
of growth and symmetry encountered microscopically in cells
and tissues, and macroscopically in living organisms throughout
the natural world. Without attempting to accurately portray
biological structures, I rather use organic shapes and abstract
forms, like holes and fissures, to elicit the perception of
biological growth in my artwork. Moreover, I often incorporate
actual 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 for these
sculptures, as it is derived from the processes of biological
growth that my work tries so hard to capture.
