These sculptures emerged from a photograph of a nautilus shell residing at a nature preserve, and seemed to call for liberation from their original wholeness.  The photo was printed on kozo paper, layered with encaustic medium, cut and sculpted, and colored heavily with powdered mineral pigment before being adorned with tiny droplets of wax.  The separate pieces reminded me of the possibility for ongoing growth and transformation, while still retaining the core parts of who we fundamentally are.  These sculptures are mounted onto a cradled panel, covered in deeply fused wax that is hand-carved, edge to edge, surrounding these sculptures with organic patterns that complement their form.