Sweetness and Light (America The Beautiful series)

My work employs the use of the Trompe l’Oeil Still Life format, interpreted through the medium of ceramic sculpture, and incorporates the use of Christian symbolism. This work is based in reflection on purity and corruption, light and darkness, and the hidden and revealed. It is my intention to use these concepts as a basis to provide revelations of both personal and societal truths as filtered through my Catholic faith.
Culturally recognized symbols of gluttonous excess, such as chocolate, inthe form of cakes, are used to emote feelings of desire and longing by their formation into tempting treats. Corresponding Christian symbols of licentiousness are placed within and around these exterior candy shells. This body of work seeks to explore and illustrate differences between abundance and excess, and longing that is derived from desire or necessity. In my work I continually seek to bring new light to traditional Christian ideas and cultural norms within a classical format.