Playful Mayan God

Playful Mayan God

14″ x 6″ x 8″

Meet Chaahk, the menacing Mayan God of thunder, lightning and rain. She hides her unnerving powers beneath a gaudy appearance. Disregard her at your peril. Muslims, Jews and Christians believe in one god. People of a bygone age believed in many gods, each of whom must be respected. This playful outdoor piece needs to rest in an out-of-way corner of a garden where an occasional glimpse is enough to remind the viewer to respect the mystery in which we are involved.

The Crucifixion

The Crucifixion

(ceramics on stone)
14” x 8″ x 7″

Violent killing is ugly, a crucifixion particularly so. The death of a man on a cross is no less disturbing. Christians speak of the image of Jesus on a cross as a manifestation of God’s love. Jews are offended by the image, particularly when blamed for all manner of evil by Christians.This sculpture is an alternative portrayal of the crucifixion. It is about love. A sad head of the man Jesus rests on a rock bonded to the good and bad thieves, images of us all.

Angels Making Music

Angels Making Music

6” x 4” x 4” (varied sizes)

Most of us think of ourselves as serious, highly responsible individuals. We may even pride ourselves on our worldly know-how and no nonsense approach to life and work. These angels live in another world. They are anything but disembodied heavenly creatures. They are devilish, angelic, vibrant music makers who awaken a smile. A smile and music-making is something most of us need.

The Water Pail

The Water Pail

11″ x 10″ x 10″

I was shaken while watching a movie documenting the tragedies of World War II. At one point the camera panned a windowless room where prisoners were water-boarded. The space was devoid of anything other than implements of torture …. a table, rope, and a pail that held water to induce death, or near death, by drowning. The metal pail had an exquisite shape that an unknown artisan must have labored to form. I wanted to capture that shape in ceramic as a reminder that what is beautiful … whether people or objects … can be used in nefarious ways.

The Trickster

The Trickster

10″ x 5″ x 5″

Have you ever been tricked into a relationship for which you are now grateful? A Trickster may have led you there! Have you ever been seduced into a job or profession that you now regret? You might find the workings of a trickster. What a curious way of thinking. True or not, we are well advised to learn the hidden workings of the human heart.

The Visit

The Visit

22″ x 8″ x 6″
1 of 2 (Bronze), one sold

Two women visit. One is pregnant.

“When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.”

― Henri J.M. Nouwen

Everyman

Everyman

20″ x 12″ x 12″

You might think of this sculpture as an image of the saint from Assisi. A bird with a broken wing rests in his hand. The man seems confused. Think of him as any one of us when confronted by suffering. Often we don’t know what to do yet we are uncomfortable if we turn our heads or walk away. This is not St. Francis. It could be any of us when we face a down-and-out person on the street, witness domestic violence, or hear of millions slaughtered in ethnic violence.

Mercedes

Mercedes

12″ x 11″ x 11″

This is Mercedes, a name that means “mercy”. She will cherish whatever is placed on her lap. Her beauty is evident, her feelings intense, and her bearing quiet. The bowl she holds is designed to hold something of particular value.

Welcome!

Welcome!

(made to order, only)
Steel, head and hands ceramic
60” x 35” x 4”

This regal woman is in motion. With her striking turban she presents all who notice her with a golden gift. She is a dramatic yet understated welcoming presence to guests and home owner alike.

2015 Contemporary Self Image

2015 Contemporary Self Image

(made to order, only)
Steel, (bronze spooks)
23” x 30” x 4”

This piece mirrors the thought of David Brooks; namely, that deep inside we are dual in our nature. “We have a side to our nature that is sinful–selfish, deceiving, and self-deceiving–but we have another side to our nature that is in God’s image, that seeks transcendence and virtue.” Here there are two colors, black and gold. Two circles; one open, the other closed. A gold inner ball radiates through a blackened paisley shape. My hope is to have expressed the beauty of the human condition.