Thirty five thousand years ago, the first intentional burials with ritual objects occured, and with them the first expressions of human faith appeared. A predominant burial image was the animal. The use of ritualized animal images has had enduring religious, mythic, and aesthetic significance. The animal image (especially the dog) is central to my work and philosophy. For me, the animal image symbolizes a bridge between the rational world of humans and the instinctual world of nature.

My dogs, Mingo and Bonnie, come to my studio everyday to ‘pose’ (sleep and play). My sculptural goal is to capture an animal’s gesture or movement. The surfaces of the sculptures are rich in texture and refer to human creations, memory, and patterns. African grave markers and old Southern “Memory Jars” have inspired these exterior embellishments. The titles come from charm bracelets, pins, or other objects with names. Through my work, I aspire to create whimsical animated creatures that reveal a spiritual presence I feel animals possess.