In 2016 I started a series of rabbits inspired by the ancient Sumerian votive figures. While these rabbits are somewhat naturalistic, I changed the position of the eyes to be more forward facing, more human. The rabbit's arms are encircling a hole in its chest, an inner sanctum. Its ears are at attention- with the left one cocked in a perpetual twitch-always listening.  I made a series of these as incense burners, (The Wedding Party)  jars, and large votive figures- a whole slew of ritual rabbits! 

I am interested in exploring the way my experience of religion effectively separated me from others, and even parts of myself. Growing up in the Catholic Church, in an Irish Catholic family, I saw how beliefs were considered sacred and spilled over into political life. As I grew older, and searched for new ways to relate to the larger world, I found inspiration in ancient cultures and ritual objects. My work is a way for me to explore and challenge my relationship to “the other.”

I use the forms and titles of traditional religious objects in my sculptures as a foundation for my work. I've taken the idea of the tabernacle, as an object to house the sacred body and blood of Christ, and inserted my own content. In this way I am challenging the idea of who “belongs” there.

Much of the visual style of my work comes from my study of ancient ritual objects. I feel related to these artists of the past. I have been inspired particularly by Mayan ceramic vessels, Canaanite burial pods, Egyptian canopic jars, and Sumerian votive figures. My favorite works express a deep connection to our shared humanity and to the natural world. They transcend the culture in which they were created and connect us to each other on an emotional level.

In addition to drawing upon religious objects in my work, I have also been exploring more modern mythologies and popular stories. Recently, I have been integrating characters and colors from the story of Alice in Wonderland into my sculptures. I can relate to Alice, who has fallen into a world that does not make sense, and yet still struggles to find meaning. The white rabbit is also a sympathetic character- the “everyman,” who seems to embody the stresses of modern life as he serves his queen, attends obligatory social events, and multi-tasks his way into a perpetually harried existence.

My work has been a way for me to process the alienation of my past, and to challenge the beliefs that create boundaries between ourselves and the natural world.