ARTIST IN THE WILD
Artist in the Wild is my ongoing series of plein-air sculptures made at zoos across the country, working directly from the animals in front of me. Each piece comes from spending real time with them - Watching how they move, how they rest, and dealing with whatever personality they decide to show me that day.
A little bit more: Sculpting on site at zoos has a different kind of flow to it. Part observation, part problem solving, part just staying present to whatever the animals are doing. I started working this way because I found the studio to be too quiet and clinical. I wanted something with more ‘life’ and unpredictability. Most sculpting days I’m chasing gesture and attitude, catching the small shifts in posture that tell you exactly who the animal is. The general public ends up becoming a part of the process too - From kids asking to touch the clay, which I happily oblige, to zookeepers chatting with me about their specific animals like they’re family members. The series keeps growing because each visit to the zoo gives me something new to respond to.
