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creative, innovator, art + technology

I am a socially engaged artist with a background in human-computer interaction, integrated visual art, and mechanical engineering. Through experimental practices, I explore new ways to build connection and empathy through movement. I create artworks using custom-designed technology, traditional mediums, and social interactions. Employing embodied experience, I create interactive digital art systems, collaborative performances, and participatory workshops using Manibus (my motion-controlled painting robot.) I've created several short films exploring different human modes in a tech-saturated world. I believe in human-centered, Universal Design, and accessible and equitable practices.

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"It was a dissatisfaction with the limitations of pure abstract painting.  Nobody knew what the work could or should look like. Each individual's freedom was encouraged. Since nobody knew what the new art should look like, each of us was free to invent our own solution."

George Segal

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Screaming Silence live performance collaboration with Ballet Des Moines
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Screaming Silence live performance collaboration with Ballet Des Moines

Manibus is a motion-controlled painting robot. In this work, the movement and dynamic energy of dance is translated into lines on a page. The controller device is worn on the wrist of one dancer. The completed abstract painting honors and encapsulates the fleeting moments of the dance. Choreography by Ma Cong, dance performed by Ballet Des Moines under the artistic direction of Serkan Hanusta. Manibus and process by Amenda Tate. Music is Brotsjór (Dyad 1909) Ólafur Arnalds. Screaming Silence embodies the concepts of action, reaction, and connection. "Haunted by the imagery of families being torn apart and loves ones being lost, 'Screaming Silence' explores the integral relationships and connections we form as humans. The music and choreography express the desperation of separation between loved ones with a haunting beauty, reminding us of the pain and joy we share through love." There are numerous instances of push and pull within the choreography. The dancers meld together in tangled clusters, and at times, they almost seem to pass through each other. They break apart into smaller divisions before coming back together. There is a real sense of transience within the work. The fluidity of shifting shapes and groups give a sense of isolation without being physically detached from others - a type of "loneliness without being alone". There are moments when the dancers erupt with expressions of anguish and palatable emotion. A defenseless dancer moves according to the manipulation by others. Amid poignant tension, there are bursts of intense energy that portray how togetherness supports and lifts us up. It is a thoughtful reminder that, at the core, we are all connected. Being human is more than anyone does alone. As my Manibus paint-bot responds to the movement and energy of the dance, I mindfully connect myself with the emotion, mood, and concept of the choreography, as well. I practice sensitivity in my choices relative to the work. In this instance, I consider the breaks, pauses, and shifts in dynamics throughout the number and align my color changes in time. Following several studies, I arrive at a final color scheme - one that is bold and intense while remaining comfortably familiar. The line quality is solid and sturdy at times and wispy and tenuous at others. Some paths overlap without predictable direction while others circle back upon themselves.

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