Wood, 28 1/2_” high, 9 1/2 _’ wide

The materiality, the sensuality of wood offers the possibility of endless exploration and creativity. The flow of the curves I carved into the wood led me to see a connection with the curves of the human body.

Picking it up, turning it around, and cradling it led me to use my own hands and arms as the measure for the carving of the arms and hands.

The burned wood tracery decorating the hands and arms was based on Mehendi henna tattoos. Extensive sand blasting of the exposed areas allowed the juxtaposition of the hard and soft lines of wood to become more pronounced and visible.

There are many references to the body within this piece. It is covered in a simple paste wax to maintain the outer layers of the wood and give it a more uniform coloration.