Desire to be seen

From the Ethereal Series

This piece is different from my other work. Instead of focusing on balance, I was thinking about harmony - how things don't have to be perfect or even to feel right. The forms aren't symmetrical, but they align in their own way. That's what I love about it.

We all carry this quiet need to be seen and acknowledged. This sculpture holds space for that feeling - the tender, vulnerable part of us that wants to be noticed and understood.

The layered forms remind me of thick sheets of paper, soft but dimensional. I made this one lighter than the others in the series, giving it an almost weightless feeling. The visual softness is intentional - it represents how tender it feels to let ourselves be truly seen.

This piece has a story. I started it months ago with a completely different vision. After sculpting the first form, I realized it didn't resonate with me anymore. Instead of starting over, I added a new layer on top, letting the past shape what came next. What emerged were entirely new forms, born from the foundation of something that no longer fit. Sometimes evolution is part of the process.

While I was finishing this, I kept thinking about something that happened at my day job. There's this man I see regularly - usually quiet and withdrawn. One day I asked how he was doing and mentioned that he looked like he'd lost weight. He opened up completely. Told me about his surgery, how he was taking better care of himself, and how much it meant that someone actually noticed.

That conversation stayed with me. It reminded me how deeply we all want to be acknowledged, to feel understood. We don't always say it out loud, but we all carry that desire to be seen.

What it's made of: Hand-sculpted drywall mud on wood canvas with layered paints and an iridescent glossy finish
Size: 16 × 19 × 3 inches | 22 lbs