Always having had a profound interest in the environment and the relationship of animal species within it, led me to my early experiences with taxidermy and thus began my involvement with animal forms and functions as sculpture. My most recent works are combinations of animal shapes, physiognomies and characteristics, presented in a display format, either as plaques, trophies or as mounted display units. Some of the animal shapes are naturally intact. Others were synthetically created by using low-density urethane foam, paper mache, plaster or fiberglass and enhanced by using texturing flock and paint. All animal parts used were found naturally in the environment, on the roadside or were acquired through taxidermy supply companies. These include: antlers, tails, teeth, claws, fur and wings. The bases and plaques are hand-crafted oak wood, supplemented with other natural materials, such as, tree moss, rocks, sand and wood chips. I have also developed narrative descriptions to accompany the works. These develop personalities and a sense of history for the new species. The descriptions are silkscreened on plexiglass and mounted directly onto the bases.

Creating these sculptures is a unique and experimental way of manipulating and then documenting the evolutionary process. The cross-bred animals take on new and unusual characteristics and tendencies. Some species seemed naturally inclined toward this combination. Shapes worked together with shapes, tendencies worked with other tendencies. Some combinations seem believable and scientific; others seem a bit outrageous and surreal. Also, simply combining the names of various animals result in scientifically curious new creatures. I have also made each animal adaptable to its individual environment, all of which incorporate the diverse wildlife regions of Ohio. In addition, I attempt to show a relationship between these new animals and man. Not unlike many other species, these new animals are hunted and eaten, or collected and displayed as conquests.

The works submitted for consideration, are examples of the current direction of my "organic" sculptures. I have continued my ideas of combining or cross breeding forms and functions. The new element in the process, however, is the pre-produced, mass marketed, consumer "toy" shapes. Curiously, many of the available toys are actually reshapes of historical, or prehistorical forms. Some toys presented a more futuristic, robotic look. Others simply stuck with the basic baby doll. In any case, I selected toys that had a sense of form and shape as well as history or vision.

My sculptures join these new, mass produced items with organic elements from nature. All of the materials were either found in their environments or purchased through taxidermy supply or "freeze dried" preservation services. Claws, skulls, shells, feathers, antlers and other natural elements; were fused together with the other forms to create a new "species" of animal. I have affixed some of these new animals on traditional display surfaces such as wood slabs or marble bases.

These new creations are playful but also startling. The variety of combined mediums have taken on new life, a combination of the traditional and the modem, the organic and the manufactured, the animal and the toy, all of which have some sort of collision in these forms.

The content of some of the sculptures are as follows:

Snimetrodon: freeze-dried snake head, urethane foam, molded rubber, acrylic airbrush.

Tricerahawk: molded plastic head, rooster body with applied pheasant feathers;
antler tip tail, acrylic paint.

Infantilsaurus: Freeze-dried snake head, rubber baby arms/legs, rubber molded body, acrylic paint.

Primalsaurus Rex: Reproduction duck feet, dried owl claws, rubber baby head,
plastic molded torso and legs, airbrushed acrylic paint

Crocoturtle: Dried crocodile head, freeze dried snapping turtle body.

Robocat: Freeze-dried cat head and tail, molded rubber body, acrylic paint.

Aquasapien: Snapping turtle head, reproduction duck feet, molded torso and wings, acrylic paint.

Robocock: Freeze-dried rooster body, molded plastic mechanical legs.

Antesaurus: African antelope skull and horns, low density urethane foam body, acrylic paint.

Hornyviper: Freeze-dried snake head, rubber dinosaur body, plastic dragon tail, acrylic paint.