This series was the subject of my thesis while I was earning my MFA at Rochester Institute of Technology, that being the case I will only address the over all theme as well as an additional in-depth insight  into one of the pieces.

         The principal theme of Preternatural Fauna is to demonstrate my understanding of sculptural forms by utilizing recognizable elements found in nature, which includes a prolific palette of patterns, colors, shapes, and textures.  The sculptures predominantly draw their inspirations from my personal experiences with the natural world, including my exploration of one specific encounter, a collective memory of nature, and my fascination with creatures.

As I stated above, personal experiences do inspire certain sculptures such as Cabo Chipirón; this experience took place when I was seventeen years old.  I was on a boat with my folks, aunt, and uncle off the island of Espirtitu Santos, near La Paz in the Sea of Cortez located in Baja California. I left the boat to explore the coastline of Espirtitu Santos.  I remember this day well: the intense heat hovering over the beach, which was blanketed with finely crushed coral sand that gave way to unforgiving sloped mountains.  The land beyond the beach was covered in cactus and other plants that thrived in this harsh environment.  After walking down the shoreline for a time, I noticed a looming, organic form that had washed up onto the shore about thirty feet in front of me.   I rushed across the sand to discover a struggling three-foot Humboldt squid gasping, and bubbling in the surf.  The animal was deep pink in coloration with thousands of brown freckles traversing the contours of its body.  I felt the need to return the suffering creature to ocean. I slide my arms under the massive, slippery body, while the squid's tentacles moved and stuck all along my arms.

I lifted the squid and moved towards the surf.  Suddenly, the wet form convulsed as a dark green, substance oozed out of its beak.  I stopped in the water motionless; the squid was dead.  I placed the animal back into the ocean, cleansing it from its last moments and releasing this creature of the depths into the swell of the sea.  The sun warmed my skin as the tide swirled tepid water around my legs.  I realized that the squid had died not because the waves had stranded it upon the shore, but because its life had come full circle on that day, just as mine will some day, as does the earthly experience of every living being.

My exploration of the earth, nature, flora, and fauna are the most significant subjects of this series.  Having developed a spiritual union with the natural world and a connection with the cosmos these have influenced my discovery of the relationship between animal life, plant life, and the environment. The experiences I have with nature and the constant fascination with studying the natural world, combined with my primary artistic abilities in metals and other natural materials have evolved into comprehensive exploration and development of sculptural forms.