“Relations,” delves into one of the most substantial aspects of the human experience: interactions between people.

Utilizing different ionic compounds, which give color to glass, individuals are represented. These compounds, when exposed to each other and an oxidation flame, are able to react and create a natural phenomenon, isolated from the rest of the world and frozen in solid glass. Reacted, these colors, or individuals, have come together--their personalities, behaviors, and dispositions are allowed to intermingle and create entirely new situations. This portfolio focuses on 8 facets of a single individual’s life. This individual, in each piece, is represented as a single color, which may vary depending on the circumstances of each relationship.

Through this group of fluted bowls, different types of people and their attributes are portrayed, along with their propensity to interact, to create relations with the featured individual. In this portfolio, observers can perceive relationships of abuse, addiction, attachment, collaboration, passion, etc. Despite any negative aspects of interactions, all of these relationships are beautiful and that is an innate aspect of the human experience. We all have a capacity, a desire, to be with other people and to form relationships. To me, relationships are one of the most important parts of being human and I feel that I would not be the person that I am without my friends, family, rivals, enemies, teachers, mentors, or idols. We are all shaped by the relationships that we have and we should be conscious of that.

I hope that any observer, even momentarily, takes into consideration the effect that others have had on their life, recognizes that effect, and values that effect, as relationships are beautiful.