My current exploration of glass involves originating digital model in computer aided design software to 3D print to cast in glass. Digital modeling and 3D printing, although very common in science and industry, is fairly new process for glass artists. My research is to investigate different digital processes and finding the manifestation of the digital process. To conduct the investigation I have made three series of sculptures. Each series investigate a different approach for generating form. For example, collecting image data to transform it into vectors to generate form; creating surfaces through computer algorithm that resemble ripples on water; conducting computational physics stimulation of membrane structures to generate voids inside sculpture forms. Each approach create a different narrative for meaning. For me, the combination of digital design and manufacturing and glass is essential because the forms I am interested in are generated by computer algorithm and the resulting glass takes on the characteristics the aesthetic unique to this process/method.

Much of my life has been characterized by a strained relationship with my family. For as long as I can remember, my parents were always incredibly strict. Because of this, I felt as though the older I got, the more distant our relationship became. In recent years this has changed and I like to spend time to think about my childhood and the impact it had on me. Now, when I think back to time spent with my family, I like to indulge in the moments I spent with them. Fortress will be a reinvention of when my parents and I made small forts together. The forts were made out of umbrellas and blankets. Although they were incredibly cramped, to me it felt much grander than it actually was, not only because I was small, but also because I was enchanted by the fact that I had made my own unique space. It was wonderful and exciting, but mostly it was warm and cozy and safe. By using metal and tissue paper, I will reconstruct the space that evokes these emotions. I invite viewers to experience this moment with me, and to enter a space that separates them from their surroundings. This will be achieved by creating domes made of gloss, paper mache tissue paper. Primary colors, yellow, red, and blue, and secondary colors, purple, green, and orange, are meant to evoke a sense of childishness. The outside light is meant to imitate the color that I remember seeing from when I was little, while the layering of the paper enhances the experience for the viewer and makes the space more complex. To understand the associations with color, space, and material, I have turned to psychological studies of color and emotion, and color theory.

I am a UW Senior studying 3D4M, a major that focuses on ceramics, glass, and sculpture. I often incorporate performed elements in my presentations. The piece I have selected for the UW Undergraduate Research Symposium is a sculpture I have constructed of steel, string, and illumination. This suspended form can be lowered and raised to create a translucent barrier between the participant and surrounding space. My main interest lies in exploring concepts of intimacy and vulnerability as it pertains to the body and the psyche. Deeply personal—almost autobiographical—I strive to present a careful consideration of my own sensitivity and fragility in the context of the complexities of relationships and communication. This piece, entitled Hatt, is a shade whose design is informed by the intricate layers of the underside of a mushroom top. String wrapped around a circular steel frame represent a division of space between public and private. It is both revealing and obscuring the light. Simultaneously, the shade delineates the intimate space inside.