Dimensions: 7 ' x 4 ' x 4 '
Mixed Media: Tree trunks and branches, gold spray paint, leafs, coffee paper (hand made with coffee grinds and deli paper), acrylic, marker, pencil, ceramic vase, foam core

Detail

 

Press on event:
Village Voice
Sept 30 - Oct 6 2009 Issue - Page 26

Shown in the church

Turning over a new leaf / Growing pains
Completed on 9/16/09

View the sketches or construction of this piece

Love is a difficult thing to do.
Ugly is an easy thing to do.

I've learned through the years to embrace ugly as I do love. Embracing ugly allows me to 'turn over a new leaf' and move on from moments in life that did not go favorably. The gold tree represents my life and how I cherish every moment. The branches represent my life growing in different directions. These directions are usually contrary to what I want. Broken branches represent blessings in disguise. These were moments that I thought the end of the world was near only to realize that it was better the situation went the way it did. The leafs show the ugly and beautiful moments of my life thus far.

Call me a glutton for punishment but whenever I am reminded of all the ugliness in the world, my mind immediately shifts and I see all of the beauty that still remains. There are choices yet to come that could make my world (and the world I live in) a beautiful place.