My creative research explores how oracular systems, mythic storytelling, and public engagement shape new forms of interdisciplinary sculpture. Through installations, time-based works, and collaborative acts of making, I aim to build spaces where material practice becomes a form of inquiry — connecting sculpture, drawing, and performance as living languages within community.
Abandon your Homeland; Frank Birch Tattooed cast rubber, wood table, copper, gold bricks, 24" x 36 inches x 16 inches
Abandon your Homeland; Frank Birch Tattooed cast rubber, wood table, copper, gold bricks, 24" x 36 inches x 16 inches (detail)
"He makes him laugh, 7 a summoning," 8 feet x 8 feet, watercolor, water from the Ganges River and ink on 72 panels. Panels consist of numerous drawings contemplating hexagram 7, the army in the I-ching. The overall form references ancient Yantra images. Embedded in its form I am summoning mythological characters, imaginary friends, friends, family, and monsters to my aid. These were later published as a limited-edition book titled the summoning, inner tai chi by a beginner. The larger panels are other transitions in the book of changes that aided me in these contemplations. The center rectangle is a narrative of them all coming together in sacred spaces real or imagined that was later made into a limited-edition oracle deck.
"He makes him laugh, 7 a summoning" (detail)
"Black Hole, Rubber and sawhorse. 37 inches x 37 inches x 18 inches
"Leaving the body, meanwhile in Coeur d'Alene, I'm not dead yet and other paths to laughing mountain", Exhibition: Emerge Gallery, Coeur d'Alene, ID
"Collectively Speaking", Watercolor and ink on paper, suspended on wood cleat. 44 inches x 45 inches
"Collectively Speaking", detail
"He who knows it all", styrofoam bust of Mark Twain with a Kiss mask. Video of the sun in rotation is visible if one looks into the eyes. Click image for video.
"The Immortals", 100 drawings from the which way series with a "tiger aura" portal, magnifying glasses, zine and binoculars.
"Empress got a new whip" anti melancholia device", Fabric, wood, resin magic square, tape, durer's solid, light 4 feet x 2.5 feet x 1 foot.
Unhelpful spirit 4, watercolor, ink on paper, 48 inches x 48 inches.
Tiger Breathing Tantra, 45 inches x 45 inches
Fly on the wall podcast, click image for link
"31.4 Laughing Mountain" 12 x 15, ink on paper. One of 300 drawings done working toward completing 4096. One for each possible change in the iching oracle. Click image for other examples
"The World card, Tiger Breathing Bear Tarot" limited edition self published tarot deck now used to generate "Which Way Drawings"
"Tiger Breathing Bear Tarot" Limited edition tarot deck, distributed during the pandemic via mail. Click image for examples of all tarot and oracle decks.
"Tiger Breathing Bear Tarot" Limited edition tarot deck, distributed during the pandemic via mail. (back of deck)
"There is no here here", Seattle demolition project, Seattle, WA I was invited to perform and transform a home on the eve of its demolition. Supported by Seattle Demolition Projects, this work served as a haunting exorcism of a space that had once housed several generations of a family. In the wake of gentrification, it had been abandoned and haunted by squatters. This moment of exposure, haunting and healing was the final act in the dwelling. Click image for video.
"the Tower", Tiger Breathing Bear Tarot, 5 inches x 2.75 inches
"The Tower" 7 feet x 1 foot x 1 foot, featured in Terrain 13, Spokane, WA
"Matchbook stories", Each matchbox scale, accordians variable in dimension. With custom Plexiglas container. Accordion stories accompanied by handmade matchbook boxes. Each tells a story of a trek through India.
"ha!; to make the wind laugh", is a flag I made while my father fought cancer. Using his and my, social networks and his from 44 years of teaching this flag traveled to over 75 locations around world activating the wind like a prayer flag and is now a regular icon within my work.
"begin," a temporary installation. A two-sided banner with “begin” printed on each side. The work was commissioned by the city of Seattle and received an award from Americans for the Arts Public Art Network 2013 year in review, National Survey of best Public Art of 2013.
Cloud Haiku, 5.5 feet x 35 feet x 20 feet, a series of cast bronze pillows arranged in a media scramble, Public Art installation, Seattle, WA I fabricated this work within the foundry of my current institution with some assistance from students for pours.
Cloud Haiku, detail
"Parade, Panda Style" social breach. For three years I anonymously wore a panda suit during my daily run in, Pullman, WA, a small eastern Washington town.
Throne and The May King, Midland college, Midland, TX. This was a performance where I balanced on a 2.5 foot post while a drummer played in a jazz rhythm and a potter threw 4 pots. Each time I fell the drummer played a solo.
"34.4 The May King" ink on paper, 11 inches by 14 inches
"To bear; a dance on the snake", I made an 11 foot foam bear and paddled it across the snake river while my children waited with a friend on the shore. Evocative of the challenges we face personally in life this work was a journey across the divide between loved ones. Single channel video was later shown as part of a dinner party installation titled Table for one. Click image for video.
Farewell; Good Mourning, 15 feet x 30 feet x 15 feet, boat, fabric, wood and other mixed media. Audio recording of everyone I knew who would leave me a voicemail of them whispering "row, row, row, your boat" Click image for sound.
Leaving, assemblage of which way drawings, Watercolor and ink on paper, mounted on wood panel. 42” x 62”
"which way page", 12 inches x 9 inches, ongoing graphic novel series generated from the tiger breathing bear tarot.
"which way page", 12 inches x 9 inches, ongoing graphic novel series generated from the tiger breathing bear tarot.