Chains and Rotators

I became interested in cycling 3 years ago when I traveled to Burlington, Vermont to watch my Dad and brother complete the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Ride to Cure 100 mile bike ride. As soon as I saw them cross that finish line, I just knew it was something I had to do. I did my first ride in Lacrosse, Wisconsin in August of 2010, my second ride in Death Valley, California in October of 2011 and am getting ready to complete my third ride in Lacrosse, Wisconsin in a few weeks. Each of these rides takes an unbelievable amount of training. We also raise money and awareness so that we can find a cure for this terrible disease. I will not stop pedaling until that cure is found. These photographs are just another way I raise awareness for diabetes, my brother never gets a break from this disease.

Aboriginal Mask

PROJECT ASSIGNMENT: Create a piece of art mimicking a Non-Western cultures techniques.

The aboriginal culture is a very interesting culture. Their culture was so rich in design and beliefs, I found the tribal masks to be most intriguing. I created this mask with a 48" concrete form tube, paper mache and paint. I cut the concrete form tube in half with a jigsaw and then cut out the eyes and mouth and rounded the corners. I put several layers of paper mache and then spray painted the entire mask black. The dotting technique was the longest process, it took me about 5 hours to complete all the dots. The flower-like symbol on the top of the mask symbolizes women and the circles on the bottom symbolizes a meeting place or watering hole. I took a more feminine approach to this mask because everything I researched was more focused on men. 

Chains

PROJECT ASSIGNMENT: Mapping. 

1 shot

1 day

1 week

1 month

I chose to map the amount of insulin injections my brother takes in one day, one week and one month. My brother, Ian, is a type 1 diabetic. He was diagnosed at the age of ten months old and is now 17, so this disease is all my family has ever known with him. I chose to map this out because it's such a big part of our every day lives. We're beyond ready for a cure.