Bees

Ceramic Bee Projects

In 2012 I began working on a series of projects that revolved around making ceramic bees. The bees came from molds I made from specimens I collected from my environment and from bees I received from local beekeepers (in some cases I used bees friends collected and shipped to me).
These projects ask many questions about our relationship to the environment; our hopes, our fears, and our collective "blind spots." But they are also about the act of noticing, the reverence of small things, and the rhythm, tedium and delight of handmade work.

Consider

Consider Installation at Calvin College. 2019

This project started with a dead bee I found on the sidewalk. Picking it up and carrying it in my hand as I walked, I found myself asking “What kind of bee is this? How did it die? Why did it not curl up?” And finally, a sculptor’s question, “I wonder if I can make a mold from it?”

That series of questions started me on a journey. It started with artistic questions and wound its way through environmental , philosophical, and even theological ones. I found myself thinking about process and purpose, beauty and fragility, sustainability and responsibility. Ultimately it was journey about a greater understanding of both the bee and myself.

A labyrinth is designed for a meditative journey. They have often been used as a means for contemplation. While there are many ways to approach a labyrinth, it is common for the journey to the center of the labyrinth to be focused more inward; while the journey out focuses more on your relationship to the world and to those around you.

I hope this installation creates space for your own journey, and for your own questions. While I cannot predict what those questions may be, I hope they will be full of wonder.