This Friday, September 29 from 6-9 p.m., my personal project “Shapes” will be shown at Vanya Designs at 520 S. Commerce!

I’ve been working on this project since 2012 and have created 5846 images for it in the process.  It’s evolved over these past 5 years, sometimes slowly, and sometimes all at once. See the Artist Statement below for more info on how the project came to be.  Huge thank you to Alicia at Vanya Designs for hosting my work, and to DJ Carbon for providing the backbeat for the opening!

Artist Statement

Somewhere there exists a line between “gratuitous” and “artful”.  Ever wary of the former and ever pursuing the latter, this project is careful not to objectify, but to instead celebrate the beauty in form and to then distill form into shape.

Originally inspired by the costume and lighting design work of French cabaret-runner Alain Bernardin, Shapes is a visual experience built by selectively enrobing models in light.  Contrary to popular belief, it was not summoned into being by watching sunlight stream through window blinds. I suppose it was not so organic as that, and my process seems unnecessarily complicated in comparison.

I chose women for my subjects just as Bernardin did in his burlesque. But, in stark contrast to his rigid, requisite physical traits, I left Shapes open to all shapes. To that end, apart from occasional removal of some personally identifying marks (at some models’ requests) and building or creating contrast where necessary, the images in this project are unretouched.

This project would not have been possible without the generosity and willingness of all of the models involved, and I am incredibly grateful to each one for their participation in and support of this work. Many had never modeled nude before. Some chose to do so as a rebellion against a repressive past.  Some modeled because of their belief that nudity is beautiful and not shameful. Some just wanted to be part of a fun-looking project. Whatever the reasons, I am honored to have provided the platform for their expression and, hopefully, for their empowerment.

I hope you enjoy the project and view it as it was intended to be viewed. I hope you walk away seeing your own body as a work of art, because it truly is the foundation from which we all create.

Each print in this show is available in a limited edition of 50 12″x18″ giclée prints, and in an open-edition for smaller reproductions. With tonight being the official debut of the complete project, all large prints displayed are the first in their edition.

Please inquire for purchasing, private commissions, or to have Shapes displayed in your gallery.