Hand Tools
Hands are our first tools. Family is our first teacher.
This body of work was created for my MFA thesis art exhibition at SJSU in the Fall of 2008. The project spanned two years in the making and required travel from Long Beach, CA to Vancouver, WA to make molds of my family members' hands. By design and function, hands innately depict the give and take duality of life. Like fingerprints, each hand tool symbolically represents a unique gift of personal knowledge, skill, experience, humor, love and support. I learn best through hands-on experience, thus I am most grateful for each family member's time and attention; whether it be an informative demonstration, words of encouragement or advice, an inquiry on my well being, lending a helping hand, a corny joke, a home cooked meal, a thoughtful gesture, a playful tease, a hug, a kiss or simply a smile. These gifts often go unnoticed as they are usually imparted indirectly and only later do we recognize their value. This body of work was a labor of love and the finished sculptures are very dear to me as they one of a kind, just like family. The Hammer, Axe, Rake and Post Digger commemorate the memory of my father, grandmother and grandfather, whom have now passed.
The series is comprised of eleven cast aluminum sculptures or “hand tools” that were made from molds taken from nine family members' hands in various gestures that reference existing hand tools. The art objects echo the uniqueness of each family member’s personality, which has enriched my life, contributed to my growth and influenced who I am today.
The series is comprised of eleven cast aluminum sculptures or “hand tools” that were made from molds taken from nine family members' hands in various gestures that reference existing hand tools. The art objects echo the uniqueness of each family member’s personality, which has enriched my life, contributed to my growth and influenced who I am today.
