As a set designer, I balance both literal and implied space. I create sets that are intriguing and dramaturgically appropriate at face value, but reveal multiple dimensions of construction and visual storytelling as the shows progress.
3D modeling is essential to my crafts and hobbies. My foundation is in architectural modeling in Rhino3D and AutoCAD, and was later enhanced by modeling jewelry and other small metal works. These days, I use it for everything from drafting design packages for sets to fabricating costume parts. My varied background in 3D modeling makes my models exact tools for fulfilling physical needs or effective instruments for communicating my ideas.
Set painting is a way for me to apply my painting & drawing, plus sculpting background, to my scenic design practice. It helps me understand scale and how details are perceived from multiple distances, while developing a practical knowledge of this vital part of bringing a set to life.
As a Costume Designer with an in-depth knowledge of costume construction having sewn my own designs and a complex identity belonging to multiple cultural communities, I have a multidimensional understanding of how costumes work practically and as a way to tell the story of the characters they complete. This allows me to accentuate subtle aspects of a character’s identity to enrich the narrative they exist within.
Having sewn since age 5 and honed my fabrication skills over the years professionally, academically, and informally in costume construction, I mastered a wide range of techniques. As a costume and set designer, plus fine artist, I can also interpret costume drawings and understand artistic vision. Altogether, I produce costumes that are visually appealing, highly technical, and true to the intention of the design and overall direction.
Whether the character is theatrical or animated, armored or bedazzled, as long as I feel a connection to them, I will learn all the necessary skills to bring the character to life. To date, some of these skills include pattern drafting, hand and machine sewing, studding, hat weaving, 3D modeling and printing, and wig construction. These informal projects give me an opportunity to expand my skills and expertise outside the confines of a script. The projects on display are all adaptations from theatre, film, and animated TV.
Scenography is the compilation of my most favorite things- Scenic Design and Costume Design come together to tell the complete visual story of any given work. Scenography requires me to push my abilities to research, design, and execute to their highest degrees, and as the creative vision is so much my own, I am the most fulfilled.
In museums, the wear on artifacts and their entombment behind glass removes them from everyday life. Despite this estrangement, one still feels drawn to these artifacts and even recognizes 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 the real world. If I strike the balance between fantasy and reality, 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, helps with relatability. In short, my art is a series of meticulously crafted portals into fantastical worlds that act as magnifying glasses to our own.
