I have always been fascinated with the concept of life and death. Preserved bugs, bones, mummies, and other oddities have interested me for many years. When I was given the opportunity to collect bones from the pastures of the Oklahoma Panhandle, I embraced it with excitement. This is was began my exploration of bringing the spirit of death into a space for the living.

One of the most prominent challenges of this project has been learning how to honor and embrace the spirit of death and decay while combining it with a feeling of life and renewal. This has also been the most liberating and impactful part of this project.

When creating these art pieces, I focused on enhancing the natural shape of each bone with bright colors and flowing lines. Many pieces are adorned with flowers I preserved to tie in another element of nature’s life cycle. Additionally, I used other elements such as wire, crystals, and hand-sculpted mushrooms to create unique sculptures embodying the reclamation concept.