I’ve always felt a strong affinity for Mesoamerican artwork that combines human and animal imagery.  I often work in a somewhat totemic vertical structure, but with an asymmetrical balance affiliated with teapots, adding another layer of animated associations.  In his renowned book, Man and his Symbols, Carl Jung writes 'The Self is often symbolized as an animal, representing our instinctive nature and its connectedness with one's surroundings.  (That is why there are so many helpful animals in myths and fairy tales.)  This relation of the Self to all surrounding nature and even the cosmos probably comes from the fact that the "nuclear atom" of our psyche is somehow woven into the whole world, both outer and inner.'  I value these implications of self-awareness, connectedness and continuity being associated with my subject.  The enduring history of figurative sculpture as a means to express aspects of our humanity not only provides me with the opportunity to appreciate past examples, but a strong desire to expand upon and contribute to the history of this genre.