As a set designer, I try to balance both literal and implied space. My goal is to create a set that is intriguing and dramaturgically appropriate at face value, but that reveals multiple dimensions of construction and visual storytelling as the show progresses.
Throughout my costuming career, I have been both a costume designer and technician, both a team player and a leader. Whether I’m designing a production or making costume for myself, I like playing with gender and sexuality in particular.
In museums, the wear on artifacts and their entombment behind glass removes them from everyday life. Despite this estrangement, one may still feel drawn to these artifacts and even recognize what they are and how they were used. In my practice, I employ the distance, intrigue, and relatability characteristic of artifacts to explore ideas I care about. Specifically, I curate nonexistent worlds and produce artifacts from them to investigate concepts without prejudice tied to reality. If I strike the balance between fantasy and the real world, my artifacts intrigue the way historical artifacts do, which compels the viewer to engage with each idea with an open mind. Creating these artifacts using familiar materials such as ceramics, fabric, and paint, but mostly wood and metal, help with relatability. In short, my art is a series of meticulously crafted portals into fantastical worlds that act as magnifying glasses to our own.
Whether the character is theatrical or animated, armored or bedazzled, as long as I feel a deep connection to them I will learn all the necessary skills to bring the character to life. To date, these skills include pattern drafting, hand and machine sewing, studding, hat weaving, 3D modeling and printing, and wig constructing. These personal projects give me an opportunity to expand my skills and expertise outside the confines of a script. The projects below are all adaptations from theatre, film, and animated TV.
