JACOB'S LADDER (2023)

Medium: Steel frame, wood blocks, nylon seatbelt strips, acrylic paint
Displayed at: Vines Festival (2025), James Black Gallery (2025), The Gallery George (2023), The Roundhouse (2023)
Dimensions: 4’-9” Length x 2’ Width x 6’ Height

This interactive kinetic artwork explores the mechanical properties of the Jacob’s Ladder — a toy made from flat wood blocks attached with ribbons. As the top block is flipped, all the blocks below follow, making satisfying clacking noises as they cascade down.

Here, four different paintings and a sculpture are combined into one artwork. Hanging columns of Jacob’s Ladders create a “kinetic canvas” with two resting orientations. In each orientation, two paintings are hidden while two others are shown. Visitors were encouraged to use the handles at the top of the frame to flip the Jacob’s Ladders and reveal the different paintings.

This project was brought to life with help from my wonderful mentors and friends JC d'Almeida and Cheryl Hamilton. From concept to completion, this personal project took two years. I spent a long time figuring out how to transform this fascinating little toy from my childhood into something big and exciting.

Links: Vancouver is Awesome article