Materials, Metaphors, Mysteries

Abstract

The following thesis does not directly address my work or the process that forms it. Rather, it exposes that which occurs before the making commences. The first section, entitled "Materials," discusses the emotions evoked by working with particular materials and attaches them to a specific instance from my childhood. Section II, "Metaphors," talks about the work of San Francisco based artist Terry Fox and his ability to resist the temptation of attaching personal significance to impersonal objects. The third section, "Mysteries," uses my childhood experiences with mosquito bites to metaphorically discuss the difficulty of ignoring the desire to logically connect my work with the emotions it awakens. As this section concludes the thesis, it makes the point that attempting such a connection is futile, and it is better to proceed in mystery than to search after something that can never be uncovered.