"Princess" (Alternate name is Featherback)

"Princess" (or Featherback), is made out of Bori bamboo, which is known for its speckled look. The bamboo in this piece was prepared with heat, which removes an oily starch, making the bamboo unattractive to insects. The large bamboo pole serving as a body in this figurative piece, was found in the grove bent in an arch. The smaller pieces of bamboo were split from a large pole, then heat bent over a mold, to give them a permanent curve. This figurative sculpture was inspired by African figurative sculpture and Brancusi's "Princess X".
I combine basketry, sculpture, and woodworking techniques to develop systems of construction and create forms. These works reference the landscape, ancient artifacts, and ideas of transformation. The bamboo I use is gathered from groves throughout Portland and requires a careful eye and ear when working with it. The repetition of nodes, the hollow structure of the plant, and its flexibility offer limitless potential. I reveal some of this potential by splitting, cutting, drilling, bending, and sewing the bamboo to create my work. Each gesture I make with the bamboo while working with it are like the words of a narrative. These words, linked together with thread and needle, glue, and steel, form a visual story.