Time, material and process : creating authenticity

I am interested in the sets of relationships and the contact between humans and their environments (man-made or natural) and subsequent human interpretation of environmental experiences through the senses. Within such an interaction between human and environment a relationship develops. This relationship is responsible for communicating data about our surroundings, and our place and placement within those surroundings. When those relationships become stale or predictable, we stop taking in new information and pay less attention to our environment. Our level of engagement drops and hence, our level of care and concern. This is a sign that communication between humans and their environments has stopped. My work explores methods of opening new lines of communication between humans and their environments, through manipulating, creating and enhancing the perception of surface. Surfaces hold great opportunities for sensual communication. They are one of the most pervasive points of contact between humans and the world. The core issues addressed in my work are domesticity, perception, and place. Time, Material and Process encompasses the methods, strategies, and techniques involved in exploring the above mentioned topics. With this paper I explain the history and evolution of my work through selected projects spanning the two years I spent in the Master of Fine Arts Design Program at the University of Texas at Austin.