For the past 26 years, I have been systematically investigating various historical methods of casting and making metal, not only to find other ways of working, but also as a method for discovering how a particular historical methodology and context can affect the aesthetics of the sculptural objects produced.  With these past projects, I have researched, investigated, and made sculpture with Meso-American clay and charcoal molds, Chinese clay piece molds, French sand molds, Japanese Sogata [swept clay, skin-fired molds], Manegata [clay piece molds], and Rogata [wax melt-out from paper-clay molds], Korean swept clay molds, South Indian clay molds, African clay and dung molds, and European bronze age clay molds.  My creative research has resulted in exhibitions of the sculptural objects produced during these investigations, but more importantly, it has been an opportunity to expand my aesthetic, while at the same time increasing my technical vocabulary.