ELDER is a sculpture that was inspired by my relationship with the forest and with trees, in particular. It is one of the countless members in the family of images, gestures, and patterns that reside in my mind, all gifts of the forests I spend so many happy hours within.
ELDER is a 7-foot tall tangle of rusted, 1/4-inch thick steel plate. Each of the steel plates was cut out of a single sheet of rusted steel with a plasma torch and then both hot and cold forged to create their individual curves. The plates are attached to each other with stainless steel tap bolts.
I love this piece. It is an homage to the trees I love so much. Its randomness comes from a place in me I want to explore further over the course of my life. Its materials and shape convey life and death and growth and decay. In addition to this, I simply had a ton of fun making this piece.