Bird Flock / Digital Light
Bird Flock (2015). A flock of birds or one bird in flight. These drinking glasses feature engraved bird silhouettes. The six engravings represent a flock of birds; simultaneously, they suggest six key poses in the animated flight cycle of a single bird. Drinking glasses are tactile, functional objects. When they represent the cells of an animation it changes our relationship and interaction with the animated cell.
Digital Light (2014). As we peer into the interior of the translucent house, we witness moving rooms and domestic objects passing through. There is an interplay between real and virtual objects as the house, acting as a lens, focuses and distorts the transient interior space, broadcasting the contents outward. Our angle of vision through the glass transforms the animated image as the total internal reflective properties of the glass gain prominence; the image disappears as one’s point of view is lowered. Concurrently, the animated image alters the glass form, permeating it with color, movement, and a luminous glow.
I find that I am most inspired by animation that is aligned, in some way, with art. Often these works explore the materiality of animation or consider current social ideas through more universal and emotive qualities, thus allowing them to be appreciated on multiple levels. Understanding and engaging with the animated form as well as narrative ideas often creates a greater complexity within the animation and how it might be read.
I usually devise the concept and envision how I want the work to appear right from the beginning. However, I also enjoy the incremental crafting process which allows the work to mature slowly and be reflected upon. Often this will result in ongoing nuanced changes to my creative process as I ‘polish’ and continue to engage with the work. The materiality of animation and art fascinates me. I not only enjoy working with materials, such as glass but I am intrigued by how one can use these material forms to, in effect, concretize animation – to bring it into the world. Glass is an interesting material to pair with animation as it is both screen and object. Itjuxtaposes the time based and ephemeral qualities of animation with material, stationary aspects but in a liminal manner as both interact with light, optics, and image.
