Still Life
My totem paintings are based on items I have collected beach combing and arranged to have an iconic, ritualistic appearance. Mass-produced, disposable byproducts of our consumer-based society merge with organic, indigenous objects to form a metaphor for Hawaii’s hybrid culture, shaped by the various influences that have washed ashore. Everyday objects such as toothbrushes, lighters and spray bottle tops join with marine detritus to portray an island culture swept up in a global economy.
