With my work, there is always a balance between taking advantage of the beautiful and unique characteristics of the material, without letting it completely dictate what I make with it. The shape/form is the most important aspect of my
hollow vessels, and while many are similar, no two are exactly alike. The added challenge of hollowing thin vessels through very small openings makes each piece technically difficult to complete.
COLLABORATION WORK
One of the things I have learned over the years, is that “collaborating” involves giving up control over your work to some extent. To “collaborate” is to allow other artists to express themselves, and I am never quite sure where it will end up. My sister in law, Georgianne Jackofsky, has been drawing and painting her whole life and she also has a background in graphic design. She has adapted her style to woodburning, and when I gave her some of my hollow forms to burn, I don’t think either one of us knew how it would turn out. I think these collaboration pieces represent a balance between the beauty and form of the wood, and her “drawing” with the woodburner.