I have primarily been creating sculpture with gourds as my “canvas.”  Recently I have begun a journey into a new dimension with my art. I have become intrigued and inspired by the combination of two sculptural mediums: the natural and organic shape of gourds and the sculptural and textural characteristics of hand-made soft figures. The combination of these two elements has sparked my imagination and inspired me to create artwork that tells a story. In many cases the theme of the piece is represented by a play-on-words using iconic characters, both real and imagined.

gourd becomes a 3-D canvas that allows me to introduce a variety of textures, patterns and colors to the foundation of the sculpture. It is the basis whereby I then add elements such as legs, beak, wings, tail, and eyes.

The soft figure allows me to express the emotions of the character through facial expressions; body language; and the style, color and patterning of the clothing. The added accessories further enhance the narrative.  In the end, the two mediums are combined to create a harmonizing composition.