Connection is a fundamental human desire, yet sometimes unattainable with the people in our lives. My body of work explores the obsession of longing for deeper relationships, and how this process can inhibit growth and happiness. The contrasting material qualities of my work embody the struggle and then the process of embracing and accepting. Yearning by pushing through the clay, only to find a cage, a barrier. The fragility of the paper, entwined with wire then slowly unwinding the cage. Ultimately, our acceptance of the things we can’t change allows us to build meaningful relationships and achieve fulfilment.