Connections: Sabbatical 1998 • Justification

My travels and research have strengthened, by directly experiencing, my comprehension of the aesthetics of Pre Colombian, Native American art and culture. Three dimensional art works can only be completely understood by direct observation and exploration in their natural settings. Trying to understand them through photos can be misleading and frustrating. This is also true of the Mexican muralists because of their scale, conformity to the site, curvature of the walls, etc.

The same considerations was also true in my visiting as many universities and colleges with sculpture programs and sculpture parks, both at museums and at institutions of learning. My visiting with curators, galleries, and other sculptors led to many contacts that I will take advantage of to exhibit my work. In pursuit of exhibiting opportunities, I have been successful in making arrangements with Grounds for Sculpture in New Jersey and the Sculpture Guild in New York City, for exhibits.

My understanding and sensitivity to sculpture has been greatly expanded by my experiences. I now better understand and am reinvigorated by the relationship of the environment to the art and culture of the North American Continent.