Ghost Sutures

Artist Statement

My drawings are informed by internal and often emotional instinct. The Ghost Suture series has arisen from my internal questions and thoughts about surgeries I experienced when I was a young boy. These were surgical alterations that left life-long affects; a scar from a facial birthmark removal, a circumcision, a scar from a nerve removed from the roof of my mouth. I have pondered acts of body alteration, particularly in this day when elective plastic surgery, ear gauging and body piercing is done with eagerness and self-choice. My bodily alterations were not my choice at the time they were done and I’m mystified about why they were performed. These artworks were created using emotion driven line with solid and erased graphite to visually describe the interplay I see between questions of ugliness, attractiveness, rejuvenation and beauty. Steve Storz, 2010