"I have always been drawn to the oddities and curiosities that make us different: our possessions and behaviors that really point to who we are as individuals. I think that the awkward way in which we carve out our individuality has always been at the heart of my work in illustration. I like to work with pen and ink and 3-dimensional materials including metals and textiles when I create my illustrations. The preciousness of materials, such as copper and bronze, makes my created spaces feel intimate. I like to play with the elements as though I were staging a theatrical production, combining drawing and collaged elements to capture a sense of childish whimsy, and drawing inspiration from nineteenth century theatre. It is the richness of my created worlds and the ability to explore different materials that made creating this work especially rewarding. Each vignette reflects some of those things that I find most interesting about the human experience- an old twisted tree, ancient ruins, a dusty rug..."