ARTIST STATEMENT

Belt buckles as an art form have deep ties to American Western imagery and iconography, which are very prevalent in the agricultural world which I often find myself in. The culture of farming and agriculture in rural areas is commonly thought to be something reserved for conservative, white, cisgender, heterosexual people. Growing up in a small rural town, working with horses. participating in Future Farmers of America and 4H, farming and agriculture grounded me. Fabricating belt buckles appeals to my own interests by creating these characterizations of narration in a form of body adornment so often masculinized and tied to rural identity. The creation of these pieces ties into my gender identity and expression, as a transgender man in a culture heavily dominated by cisgender men. As a queer and trans masc person who is often assumed to be cisgender, the interaction of my own body in a comfortable yet unprecedented atmosphere, comes into play in my body of work.

In this work I utilize a variety of techniques such as champleve, enameling and traditional bench work. My work explores how certain stereotypes can be broken to fit a different narrative that pertains to transgender people as both makers and artists. There can be more recognition and appreciation for queer and rural identities by recontextualizing these narrations into wearable jewelry for utility, enjoyment, expression and heritage.