"Desert Exploration" encompasses research on many levels.

I first began with an intended theme: Survival in the desert. I grew up in the heart of the Sonoran desert and I have always been fascinated by the paradox of the vast diversity of life in one of the harshest environments in the world. Pieces in this concentration represent a handful of organisms in the desert that I felt especially engrossed in during my topic research.

To help inspire my sculptures and to learn new techniques, I also completed research on four different highly esteemed sculptors: Paige Bradley, Carmon Almon, Louis Bourgeois, and Nuala O'Donovan. I found that analyzing their conceptual ideas lead to new perspectives on my own research and process.

The third method of research involved challenging myself to not only use new materials, but also to use materials in slightly unconventional ways. This experimentation led to unexpected outcomes and also new sculptural avenues that I plan on exploring in future projects.