Artist statement

I am a contemporary artist from Seattle drawing on time-tested traditional techniques with natural materials. My expertise is in large-scale sculpture and architectural-art installations, using a variety of materials including wood, glass, metals, and composites. I strive to create works that imbue a sense of timelessness and tranquility in the viewer in this era of confusion and chaos. I am now focusing on a selection of large abstract murals forged from cast and fused glass.

The glass-work is meditative, both in the making of and the finished result. The glass murals add reflective hues and a gentle ambiance to the space in which they are hung. No two glass abstracts are the same as the process produces a unique result each time. They can be hung over a window, or backlit with LED lighting to accentuate their colors and forms, or simply hung on a wall as is. They have a sculptural feel to them, as the surface undulates and ripples like solidified lava - and in this way, I imagine I am somehow taming the great force of fire into something life-affirming instead of destructive. I love the fluid nature of the cast and fused glass process.

A decade ago at 23 years old, I founded NK Woodworking & Design and went on to become internationally acclaimed for my award-winning art stairs, wooden baths, and fine furniture. This experience taught me the skills of working with a wide variety of materials in large-scale installations, which I bring with me into the creation of my current art pieces.

Following the success of my design company, I decided to open my own art gallery in 2021, exhibiting my glass murals, paintings and other 3D sculptural work. 

Inspiration for my work comes from a desire to draw out and preserve the inherent beauty and timelessness of the natural materials I work with, keeping intact the raw essence of their origins. My interest is in making things that last for generations, as a counter to our “throw-away” culture and mass consumerism. I draw on the influences of trees and oceans as symbols of the powerful forces of nature. I spend a lot of time on the wild and rugged Pacific Northwest coast where I love to surf and sail.

I received an alternative education as a child and creative expression was encouraged and nourished. I come from a family with a strong connection to the arts and I am honored to count Allen Ginsberg as a distant relative, whose life philosophy is very much present in my dedication to freedom of self-expression in my own life and art.

Our lives are short. Creating beauty in the world is joyful for me and gives my life meaning. Whatever natural material I use in the making of my art, my aim is to evoke a sense of awe.