The Nail That Sticks Up the Farthest...

My process begins with in-depth research, whether it be pilgrimages to all of the former sights of Japanese Americans' WWII incarceration, pouring through documents and photographs at the National Archives, or recording oral histories from former internees. Fabrication of my artwork can use a variety of materials; dirt, rusted nails, photographs, documents, artifacts, fabric, wood, etc. in both stand-alone sculpture and installation art. Increasingly, collaboration with communities has become an integral component of my process. This is achieved either during installation, through interaction with the work, or workshops with community groups. I see this as a natural progression of my work and its focus of connectedness.