| Copyright: | 2026 |
| Medium: | Douglas Fir, burned, stained and 3 coats of varnish |
| Dimensions: | 81H x 12W x 11D 59 pounds |
| Edition Number: | 352 |
This piece was begun at the Buffalo Creek Art Center at a residency by the artist in June, 2026. This wood was taken from the sculpture that was installed on the grounds in Gardnerville, NV. The wood was burned in the style of Shou Sugi Ban, a way the Japanese preserved wood that started in the 18th century.
The opening at the top reads as more than just an eye, it suggests absence, memory, awareness, or the idea that we are shaped as much by what is missing as by what remains. It encourages viewers to complete the story themselves, which is often where contemporary sculpture is at its most engaging.
The piece explores presence through absence. A solitary figure stands in quiet reflection, its gaze replaced by an opening that invites the surrounding world into the work itself. The sculpture asks whether identity is defined by what we possess or by the spaces we leave open for memory, experience, and connection. Carved from wood and reduced to its essential form, it becomes both human and universal.