We place great significance on history and the stories, both ancient and contemporary, with which we define ourselves as individuals and as a people. Much of this history is speculation and we fill in the gaps according to our personal and cultural needs. In this respect, this work could be about any place or people. However, my ancestors came from Cornwall and other parts of the U.K. and this work begins with the Celtic practice of ritual damage or the destruction of objects that were to accompany the deceased in the afterlife. These were objects that would be necessary to the deceased and they had to be "killed" in order to accompany him/her.

Archeology suggest an act of discovery (or perhaps self-discovery) of cultural and personal history. The stories in this synthetic archeology are dreams turned mythic, stories of beasts, struggles and journeys mixed with history, legends and lies. These are the things that we take to the grave with us. Like a chest full of letters discovered in an attic, our stories, like those of our ancestors, are sometimes glimpsed in the writings and artifacts that we leave behind but always with uncertainty and speculation.

Lot #734

1998, 19"x 13"x 4", Digital image, Stoneware, Wood, Plexiglass

Excerpt: "The vessel of dreams lay broken in the chamber. And yet, happiness sang in its shards, though none were willing to reassemble it."