Andirons

2024, Steel

During a loved one's long recovery, I felt an unexpected pull to create objects for my fireplace- steel andirons and an enameled steel fire screen.

As I worked through the process a deeper meaning to these seemingly random ideas began to unfold. Though less central in our modern life, the hearth, being over a million years old, remains embedded in our psyche. Rooted in our evolutionary past, the hearth served both functionally as a source of warmth and safety, and as a spiritual symbol rich in meaning, embodying devotion, connection, and home.

What was seemingly unrelated- creating for my hearth while also tending to a loved one evolved into a daily meditation on this powerful symbol and my family. An invocation to all who have embodied this vital role, holding the energy that sustains and protects, often quietly and with devotion.