I am a Washington D.C.-based artist and woodworker. My designs draw from Kumiko, a Japanese art form and woodworking technique. Kumiko was developed roughly 1400-years ago as Buddhist-influenced architecture was brought from mainland Asia to Japan. Today kumiko is most commonly found on ornamental shoji screens and decorative features of traditional Japanese homes.
The traditional woods used in kumiko are Japanese Cedar and Cypress. I primarily use Alaskan Yellow Cedar, one of the closest species that is native to North America. My compositions are made of hundreds, in a few cases more than a thousand individual pieces of wood, each crafted to a tolerance of roughly 0.05mm.
My contemporary interpretations of kumiko are in the form of functional and decorative art. I have a deep respect for the medium and experience my process as an exercise in precision and patience. Through my work, I hope to create a vivid visual experience and to add my voice to this ancient art form.
My work has been exhibited at the Wharton Esherick Museum, the Trenton City Museum, and the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, among other places. View my resume here.
