This installation is built from materials sourced in and around the city—many of which were generously provided by Orem Public Works. Traffic signs, construction remnants, and industrial fragments that used to guide, caution, and protect are now reimagined as a tribute to the unseen systems and people who shape our shared spaces. Arranged as an ensemble, each object contributes its distinct character, helping form a unified composition through contrast. In reclaiming the discarded and the overlooked, the work reflects on how difference and unity coexist, and how meaning emerges when we listen to the whole, not just the parts. It encourages us to find common ground in the spaces we move through every day.

150 used 5-gallon paint lids, once uniform in their function, now present a contrast of individuality. Arranged in a grid, the lids’ subtle differences speak to the inherent beauty in variation. Each lid carries traces of its purpose, but the marks of time and use reveal something organic and unpredictable. Much like us, we begin with similar roles or intentions, but the outcomes—shaped by different experiences—are never the same. Many of these lids were collected during my time on the BYU Paint Crew, with additional contributions from the BYU Paint Shop. In their collective display, the lids invite us to see the extraordinary in the ordinary, urging us to find meaning and beauty in the most utilitarian parts of our lives.

Both the produce dividers and road reflectors used in this work originate from systems built for control, efficiency, and regulation. One organizes the movement of vehicles; the other, the presentation of produce. Though modest in appearance, these objects are deeply embedded in the infrastructures that govern modern life. They impose order on the irregular, the organic, and the unpredictable. This installation reflects on the illusion of freedom within such systems. Erich Fromm wrote, “modern man lives under the illusion that he knows ‘what he wants,’ while he actually wants what he is supposed to want.” We are given choices, but always within frameworks we did not create. These materials reveal how easily the structures meant to serve us can come to shape us.

Sometimes what seems urgent isn't truly critical, and "priority" labels are soon replaced by new ones. This shifting sense of urgency reflects how our priorities change over time. Using similar materials in various arrangements represents different lenses, limitations, and times in our lives, leading to diverse decisions. The grids in my work act as calendars, marking sequential events and our constant forward movement.

Every found fragment carries its own story and a connection to the land it traveled. Sometimes the function of an object is clear, while other times its purpose is unknown. We are all in transition, moving from one point to another. In my work, I treat each object as having potential, believing that when combined with others, they can serve a higher purpose.

The ten photographed images capture the uncertainty of our journey, like packages with anticipated arrival times and destinations. They prompt us to ponder the continuity of our path and the potential need for reinvention along the way.

Photographs from an ongoing series focused on vacant marquees.