Artist Statement

I am an emerging Texas artist with an earthy, handcrafted aesthetic. I appreciate
the small things that keep me connected to what I enjoyed most as a child;
digging my hands into the dirt and conducting amateur science experiments. My
artwork serves to satiate my need for exploration and experimentation. I’m
interested in the inherent qualities of raw, repurposed, and living materials often
left to decay. Lately, I have expanded upon my artistic methodology. I seek to
graft the aged and organic with interactive technologies. I see this fusion as a
means to communicate a narrative usually hidden within these alternative
mediums, and as a means to better recreate the surreal nature of my childhood
dreamscapes.
One of my latest projects, Mesquite , utilizes very simple circuitry and basic
programming. I believe even these simple systems can elicit strong relationships
with the user. In the act of peering through the heartwood of Mesquite , you can
feel the fragility of weathered bark, appreciate the solidity and weight of the cut,
and smell the freshly oiled vascular tissue of its sapwood. The gentle pulse of
warm light within breathes life back into the dead heartwood.
As with any organic matter, size and quality are variable from sample to sample.
When fabricating Mesquite , there was no way to assess structural integrity until
the wood was worked. In addition, I needed digital components and power
sources that were relatively self contained, interchangeable, and portable.
Adafruit’s products were a perfect fit. They allowed for extensive experimentation
though I was working with a one of a kind cut of wood.
I intend to continue grafting the organic with the digital. I believe incorporating
simple methods of interaction will strengthen user experience and their
relationship with the alternative organic mediums central to my art practice.

• Tiffany R. Sanchez, Department of Visualization, Texas A&M University, USA