Soap collected from guests’ rooms . . .

"8,000 Hands and Feet"

The “Soap” series has been cast from small glycerin soap bars that have been used by guests in our second generation, family-owned motel.  Over time, I collected bars of soap and then melted and cast them into various, body-part molds.  Light passes though the recycled soap creating an amber glow, while the distinct soap-odor permeates the space.  On closer examination, vestiges of human activity are revealed; hair and dirt appear like insects caught in amber.  These are very personal pieces with a history of numerous interactions, guests renting a room, spending the night, and using the small bars of soap to wash away the physical remains of the day.