Objects of affection

The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file.Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on September 2, 2008)Thesis (M.F.A) University of Missouri-Columbia 2008.I have always been fascinated by the mystery in old things and the relationships that we form with the inanimate. Many people project emotional and psychological importance onto personal possessions. They are a source of reminiscence, help us cope with mortality, and inspire us to care for them. My work simultaneously represents the beauty and ugliness that is an inherent part of life. Influenced by personal collections and idealized childhood memories, my paintings and sculptures are at once sweet and disturbing. I deal with concerns specific to the human condition, which is an emotional struggle of love and loss, nostalgia and sadness, and hope and tragedy. Full of contradiction, the work represents a bittersweet longing. I find old things both alluring and sad, so I seek to create a world that embraces comforting, romantic notions of nostalgia while at the same time exposes loss of innocence and childhood security. This work encourages us to conjure the memories and feelings that we associate with our own objects of affection. As a result, we are inspired to look within our emotional selves and reflect on what brings magic into our lives. In so doing, we can reclaim the awe and compassion for the world that we forget with age. When we step back from our fast-paced lives to appreciate what is simple, we can rekindle suppressed memories and feelings through the power of objects.Includes bibliographical reference