Artist's Statement – BICI.ARTE.
The experience of riding a bicycle is unrivaled by any other human sensation. When we mount a bicycle we trade our slow, jolty gait for the grace of smoothly purring gears and the soft efficient whir of wheels. While aboard our bicycle we float, literally suspended above the ground, at once balanced and moving; agile and powerful. We are given the sensation of flying, free at last from gravity’s hold.
The bicycle is a symbol of power: The power to achieve dreams, to move through diverse paths, to better ones self. From woman’s suffragists to explorers, from exercise enthusiasts to millions of commuters worldwide; from inventors of human powered water pumps, laundry machines, and blenders, to designers and beer makers, the bicycle has inspired more than a century of innovation, sustainability and social reform.
At the dawn of the technological age, the bicycle stands as an icon of beauty amidst a world ravished by an age of industrialism and careless consumerism. It is a symbol of synergy, freedom, independence and timeless grace.
In my works, my own passion for bicycles and re-purposed materials combine with traditional artisan methods gathered from my travels through Spain, Italy and Mexico, as well as friendships with artisans from various South American cultures. Each technique I use carries with it a story of an artisan, a culture, and a long lineage of travelers and makers. When conceptualizing my designs, I strive to carry the lineage of these artists and create pieces that invoke sensations of movement, freedom, and exploration. My creations are a continuation of my love for the bicycle and I hope that they carry the same sense of lightness, simplicity, beauty and grace that I have experienced while aboard this revolutionary invention.
