The six painted plaster cast sculptures in the Dendrites Series used neurons and dendrites as a springboard to investigate how our brains react to experiences and other neurological conditions. The current belief is that certain memories and life events create distinct patterns in our brains. Disrupting the neuron’s pathway and development can interfere with brain function and is believed to play a role in creating anxiety and may lead to Alzheimer’s, Bipolar, and other disorders. The sculptures in this series are my interpretations of what these microscopic cells may look like when one is young, old, or affected by a particular condition or emotional state.

For example, “When I’m Old” investigates the nature of memory as evidenced by long dendrite branches reaching skyward and back in time. The neuron’s nucleus is filled with smaller replicas of the larger dendrite to emphasize the repetitive nature of emotion and experience with age. In contrast, “When I Was Young” reflects the expansive and fertile nature of youth. It has happy, chubby spinal branches at the end of all three of its short arms with a very small nucleus as it is only beginning to store memories.